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They are the best 18′ skiff team in the world, and now Honda Marine can add the Anzac Championships to their impressive list of regatta wins.
Honda Marine took out the Anzac championships. Photo: Suellen Davies / Live Sail Die.
The Honda Marine team skippered by David McDiarmid won five of the seven races to take the title by five points ahead of C-Tech with GC Racing a further seven points back in third.
Honda Marine recently won the JJ Giltinan world championships in Sydney to go with their European and New Zealand titles as well as the Mark Foy championships they won in Fiji.
Although their worst result was a second, they had to fight their way through the fleet at times and McDiarmid was impressed by GC Racing skippeer Erica Dawson, saying she will be one to watch in the future.
“Erica had an awesome first regatta sailing with Hoff (Dave Hazard) and Jack (Simpson),” McDiarmid said. “They had us on our toes a few times which was great to see for the new talent coming through the ranks. Of course, it would have been great to see more Aussie boats on the start line, so hopefully they can make the short trip across the ditch next year.”
Only one Australian entry was among the nine-strong fleet, with Yandoo (John Winning, Cam McDonald and Michael Kennedy) fourth overall.
Dawson campaigned in the 49erFX last year and took the helm of an 18′ skiff just 30 minutes before the first race. She had a good crew around her, given Hazard and Simpson teamed up with Josh Porebski to finish second at the JJ Giltinans.
“I loved it,” Dawson said. “We were super stoked to win a race on the second day and after that really felt like we were racing properly. Our boat handling improved over the duration of the regatta and we definitely were faster in a straight line.”
While some of the Australian boats will now head to Italy for the European Championship, the Kiwi fleet will undergo some serious recruitment to fill the available boats. Trials will take place leading up to the opening of the 2018/2019 season in October.
Results from the Anzac 18ft skiff championships at Royal Akarana Yacht Club:
1st: Honda Marine (NZL) 1 1 1 (2) 1 2 1 - 7 points
2nd: C-Tech (NZL) 3 2 2 (8) 2 1 2 - 12 pts
3rd: GC Racing (NZL) 4 4 3 1 (5) 3 4 - 19 pts
Full results, see here
