2011 - The year of the
Rabbit |
By Frank Quealey, the Australian 18 Footers League. |
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Photos by the Australian
18 Footers League
edited By Peter Andrews. |
Sunday, June 19, 2011. |
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The 2011-2012 Season will see a twin attack on 18ft Skiff racing, by the famous South Sydney Rabbitohs Rugby League Club in association with the De’Longhi Australia and Kenwood companies. De’Longhi has been South Sydney’s major ‘away game’ jersey sponsor for the past four seasons and has now added its Kenwood brand to the Souths sponsorship with Kenwood ‘Create More’, signing up in 2011 as the major sponsor for training gear and shorts. |
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Simon Nearn’s De’Longhi-Rabbitohs approaching the bottom
mark, during Race 6 of the JJ Giltinan 18ft Skiff Championship on Sydney
Harbour, Saturday March 12, 2011.
Photo © Australian 18 Footers League.
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Kenwood, owned by De’Longhi Spa from Italy, is best known for the iconic Kenwood Chef mixer which celebrated its 60th anniversary in 2010. Through sport, family, food and nutritional values, Kenwood aims to reach the community through its sponsorship of the Rabbitohs and ‘Souths Cares’, so it is a combined effort of Kenwood and Souths to put another 18ft Skiff on the beautiful Sydney Harbour. |
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Kenwood-Rabbitohs on Sydney Harbour.
Photo © Australian 18 Footers League.
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The association between Rugby League football and the Australian 18 Footers League is steeped in history, as the founder of the Rugby League football code in Australia was James J. Giltinan, whose name symbolises the ultimate challenge in 18 Footer racing with the J.J. Giltinan Trophy Championship. |
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De'Longhi-Rabbitohs in Race 1 of the New South
Wales Championship on Sydney Harbour, November 2010.
Photo © Australian 18 Footers League.
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Giltinan was very instrumental in the early years of the Australian 18 Footers League, which is the world’s premier 18 Footer organisation. As first Secretary of the newly formed sailing league in the 1930’s, he was the driving force behind the push to initiate a world championship for the previously Australia-only 18 Footers. |
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Kenwood-Rabbitohs during Ferry Patrons Trophy Race on Sydney Harbour.
Photo © Australian 18 Footers League.
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The De’Longhi company has been a wonderful supporter of 18 Footer Racing, for the past six seasons with the Australian 18 Footers League. CEO Paolo Albertoni and General Manager of Sales and Marketing Tom Mitchell, took this connection one step further when negotiating for the Major Sponsorship of the training and shorts contract with Rabbitohs officials for 2011. Within this agreement, sponsorship of Kenwood-Rabbitohs skiff was sealed the deal. |
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De'Longhi-Rabbitohs on Sydney Harbour.
Photo © Australian 18 Footers League.
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The Kenwood-Rabbitohs skiff hit the water late last season with young Australian Match Racing champion, Evan Walker at the helm. Walker will skipper the boat from the beginning of the 2011-2012 Season, while De’Longhi-Rabbitohs skiff will again be in the hands of experienced 18ft Skiff skipper Simon Nearn.
The famous ‘rabbit’ logo has a high profile, not only through its wide supporter base, but also through the efforts of its actor owner Russell Crowe. That famous ’rabbit’ logo is sure to be prominent on Sydney Harbour during the 2011-2012 Season. |
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Kenwood-Rabbitohs during Race 2 of the Australian 18 foot Skiff Championship
on Sydney Harbour.
Photo © Australian 18 Footers League.
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More information, photographs and videos can be found at www.flying18s.com and www.18footers.com.au.
Frank Quealey
Australian 18 Footers League www.flying18s.com. |
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Outimage and the
Australian 18 Footers Leaguea © 2011 |