Can Yandoo be beat? - NSW Championship Races 5 & 6 (Highlights)

The 2025 Giltinan Trophy world champion Yandoo 18ft skiff team of Tom Needham, Fang Warren and Lewis Brake are set to add another trophy to their names when they line up next Sunday on Sydney Harbour for the final two races of the NSW Championship. With four consecutive wins for Yandoo going into next Sunday’s racing, the task looks particularly difficult for the major challengers as the early weather predictions indicate bread-and-butter wind strength and direction for the champion Yandoo crew and boat. The only challenger with a slim opportunity of becoming the 2025 NSW 18ft skiff champion is the Balmain team (Henry Larkings, Tom Grimes and Lachlan Prior), which will need close to a miracle. Looking mathematically at the current total point scores, and making allowance for each team discarding its worst race result to achieve its best seven-race score for a final points score, Yandoo will only need to record a 3rd or 4th place in one of the two races on Sunday to become champion. Yandoo’s present score, including ALL SIX RACES sailed so far, is 11 points and so with even a 4th place finish in one race would finish with a total of 14 points. Balmain’s present BEST FIVE RACES sailed so far is 12 (and includes a throwaway 13th as its other result). Balmain needs two more winning results on Sunday to give it a best possible seven-race score of 14 points. Finishing level with Yandoo on points is no better for Balmain as Yandoo would take the title on count-back with four race wins against what would be AT BEST three wins for Balmain. Regardless of what seems to be an easy overall victory for Yandoo, if the expected conditions do arrive at race time, they will provide on-water spectators and SailMedia livestream video watchers with plenty of action and good fleet racing for the podium placings. Shot and edited by Sprott Media Livestream footage courtesy of Sail Media Visit www.18footers.com for the very best in 18 foot skiff racing from Sydney Harbour and beyond