Casio takes championship

Michael Coxon, Aaron Links and Nathan Ellis took victory in the Autralian 18 Footers League Club Championship

The Casio Seapathfinder crew of Michael Coxon, Aaron Links and Nathan Ellis took out the Australian 18 Footers League Club Championship despite finishing only third in the final race of the championship on Sydney Harbour on Sunday.

Victory in race six went to Hugh Stodart and his crew on Asko Appliances who defeated Rag & Famish Hotel after leading nearly all the way over the southerly course.

Final pointscore was Casio on 17 points, Rag & Famish 18 and Club Marine and Ssangyong Yandoo tied on 33 points.
 
Asko's winning margin was finally 37seconds over Rag & Famish with Casio a further one minute 22 seconds back in third place.
 
Asko won the start and led Rag & Famish by 15 seconds at the windward mark with De Longhi in third place and Fisher & Paykel fourth. Casio was fifth - 55 seconds from the lead.
 
Rag & Famish grabbed the lead on the downwind leg then the leaders split into two separate groups for the work to Rose Bay.
 
Asko's superiority upwind was again to the fore as she opened up a 30 second lead over Rag & Famish at the Rose Bay mark.
 
Casio had moved into third place but was still nearly one minute from the leader.
 
Positions remained unchanged over the next three legs of the course but Asko's lead had been increased to nearly two minutes.
 
The real interest in the race was definitely centred around the battle between Casio & Rag & famish for the championship.
 
Over the concluding stages Casio's team had to withstand challenges from Fisher & Paykel and Ssangyong Yandoo but fought off each one to finish third and take out their second club championship.

Results:

Pos	Skiff	Handicap Place	Club Cship Points
1	Asko Appliances	4	38
2	Rag & Famish Hotel	3	18
3	Casio Seapathfinder	8	17
4	Fisher & Paykel	1	66
5	Ssangyong Yandoo	2	33
6	appliancesonline.com.au	5	55
7	Maytag	9	54
8	De Longhi	6	51
9	Omega Smeg	7	59
10	Club Marine	15	33
11	CST Composites	13	79
12	Toshiba	10	79
13	SX Projects	12=	83
14	Panasonic	12=	86
15	Rosemount	14	126
16	Southern Cross Constructions	16	111
17	Active Air	17	101
18	AAPT	18	88
19	Wentworth Courier	19	120
20	Belle Property		85
21	Noakes Youth		114
22	Aristocrat		136