18ft Skiffs: Yandoo, incredible 18ft skiff champion

Aerial look at Yandoo on the way to winning Race 3 of the SIXT Spring Championship SailMedia.

When the Australian 18 Footer League’s fleet lines up on Sydney Harbour on Sunday, to contest Race 2 of the League’s club championship, sixteen teams will be out to try and stop the current JJ Giltinan world champion, Yandoo, from winning its fourth consecutive race from the four races sailed by that time.

Making its three victories so far even more impressive, the wins have come with three different skippers in charge.

John ‘Woody’ Winning won the opening race of the season from the ‘scratch’ mark, which was followed by a win in Race 1 of the club championship skippered by John ‘Herman’ Winning Jr. Last Sunday there was a significant change to the team when Steve Thomas skippered Yandoo, Max Paul replaced Fang Warren on the sheet and only Lewis Brake, in the bow, was a regular member of the Yandoo team.

With testing North-East winds prevailing, many teams failed to complete the course and the Thomas-led team was able to maintain the winning record of the incredible skiff, which has also won the last three JJ Giltinan World championships.

Speed of Yandoo on the way to victory on Sunday (SailMedia)

Even at the world’s greatest 18ft skiff championship, Yandoo’s three-time winning record is unique.

With the skiff’s regular skipper John ‘Woody’ Winning sidelined, because of surgery, after taking out the 2023-24 NSW Championship, Micah Lane took over the tiller of Yandoo and won the 2024 Giltinan worlds. In 2005 Tom Needham was the winning skipper, and in 2026 it was John Winning Jr.

How could anyone predict anything other than a Yandoo victory on Sunday?

Despite the dominance over the past three seasons and in the early races so far in 2026-27 season, the competition is far from beaten as there are many very good new, young teams in very competitive boats lining up ready to take on the champ as we get further into the season and move towards the 2027 JJ Giltinan World Championship, on Sydney Harbour in March.

Yandoo at the weather mark in Race 3 (SailMedia)

If the predicted 13-knot South-East wind prevails at race time on Sunday, it will give these new teams another opportunity to test themselves against the champ in perfect Sydney Harbour sailing conditions.

On form shown so far by the challenging pack, Smeg (Ash Rooklyn) and the current Australian champion Balmain (Henry Larkings) are the most likely to test Yandoo, but there are several teams with very little between their present skill levels, which are not far off the pace and will provide spectators with some great racing action.

Among this group are Shaw and Partners Financial Services (Keagan York), Killer Coffee Co (Ryan Ewings), Rag & Famish Hotel (Ben Crafoord), Lazarus Capital Partners (Tom Cunich), Vaikobi (Kirk Mitchell), The Kitchen Maker (Jordan Girdis), Club Marine (Emma Rankin) and Sixt (Jacob Marks).

Sunday will also see Joel Beashel contest his first race in the fleet as skipper of Thurlow Fisher Lawyers. With a very strong crew, this team looks sure to be one to watch over the coming weeks.

Shortly after the start last Sunday (SailMedia)

Race 4 of the SIXT Spring Championship, and Mondiale VGL Season Point Score, will be sailed in conjunction with the club championship and, because it’s based on each team’s allocated handicap will be a very close event.

Progress top-10 points in the club championship are: 1 Yandoo, 2 Smeg, 3 Balmain, 4 Thurlow Fisher Layers, 5 Killer Coffee Co, 6 Rag & Famish Hotel, 7 Shaw and Partners Financial Services, 8 Club Marine, 9 Lazarus Capital Partners, 10 Vaikobi

Progress top-10 points in the Sixt Spring championship & Mondiale VGL Season Point Score are: 14 The Kitchen Maker, 15 Yandoo, 17 Club Marine, 19 Killer Coffee Co & Smeg, 23 Lazarus Capital Partners & Vaikobi, 28 Balmain, 29 Rag & Famish Hotel, 30 Thurlow Fisher Lawyers.

The ‘Royale’ spectator ferry will follow the racing on Sunday, departing Double Bay Wharf at 2:15pm, where patrons can follow the fleet while enjoying drinks and snacks from the on-board bar.

Lazarus, shortly after rounding the wing mark south of Shark Island (SailMedia)

If you are unable to go on the spectator ferry, the professional SailMedia Livestream team will be on the course to capture all the action. The team have three cameras feeding into the livestream production; a drone, a main camera mounted on the roof of the Camera Cat, and a commentary team POV camera.

SailMedia’s coverage provides viewers with all the close up racing action, along with the beauty of the harbour and the city, all backed up by expert commentary from former competitors who are situated on the Camera Cat – in the centre of all the racing action.