First blood to Hamlin

As Ssanyong JJ Giltinan Championship for the 18ft skiffs gets underway on Sydney Harbour

Race 1 of the JJ Giltinan Championship produced a truly international result on Sydney Harbour as American former winner Howie Hamlin defeated Australia's Michael Coxon with New Zealander Phil Airey in third place.

Hamlin, with crewmembers Mike Martin and Trent Barnabas, brought their skiff Pegasus Racing home a 1min 20secs winner from Coxon's Casio Seapathfinder after a race long battle between the pair. Third place went to Airey's CT Sailbattens, which was a further 1 min behind Casio.

The race began in a light northeast breeze however dark skys in the west and south looked ominous as the fleet set sail for the windward mark.

Series favourites Asko Appliances and Casio started alongside each other in expectation of the battle ahead but it was twice Giltinan champion Hamlin who took the early lead. AAPT, Maytag, Asko, Casio and defending champion Club Marine were in hot pursuit in a tightly bunched leading group.

Pegasus Racing held a 15secs lead over Asko at the windward mark closely followed by AAPT, Casio and CT Sailbattens. Pegasus Racing continued to lead at the wing mark however the placings behind her changed dramatically with Casio moving into second place, followed by CT Sailbattens, Asko and AAPT.

As the leaders headed back upwind Pegasus held a comfortable lead but Casio was starting to revel in the freshening breeze. At the start of the long downwind leg back to Clark Island, Pegasus led Casio by 25secs with CT Sailbattens another 1min 20secs back in third place.

The next group were tightly bunched with Club Marine, Asko, Rag & Famish and AAPT most prominent. Once again Pegasus was the fastest skiff downwind as she increased her lead over Casio to 35secs.

From that point the result was never in doubt as the margin was extended further to the final 1min 20secs.

Results:

Pos	Boat	Elapsed Time	C'ship Points
1	Pegasus Racing	1.18.50	1
2	Casio Seapathfinder	1.20.10	2
3	CT Sailbattens	1.21.10	3
4	Asko Appliances	1.21.50	4
5	Rag & Famish Hotel	1.22.24	5
6	Club Marine	1.22.34	6
7	Maytag	1.22.52	7
8	Fisher Paykel	1.23.00	8
9	AAPT	1.23.17	9
10	Ssangyong Yandoo	1.23.34	10
11	Radii	1.23.40	11
12	Barron & Smithers	1.23.55	12
13	Omega Smeg	1.24.14	13
14	Toshiba	1.24.53	14
15	appliancesonline.com.au	1.25.18	15
16	CST Composites	1.28.27	16
17	Panasonic	1.29.10	17
18	SX Projects	1.29.52	18
19	De Longhi	1.30.40	19
20	Noakes Youth	1.31.27	20
21	Fisher Fine Arts Helly Hansen	1.32.32	21
22	Southern Cross Construction  Groupe Sefico	1.33.30	22
23	Ssangyong Yandoo	1.34.11	23
24	Wentworth Courier	1.37.13	24
25	Hurley Palmer Flatt	Non finisher	32
26	Active Air	Non finisher	32
27	Rosemount	Non finisher	32
28	Barracouta Sails	Non finisher	32
29	Belle Property	Non finisher	32
30	Hermes-SELS	Non finisher	32
31	Avaya	Non finisher	32