100th Australian 18-footers championship: results, past winners honoured, history

These Olympians, America’s Cup, Sydney to Hobart and round the world sailors all have something in common - they have won a famous Australian regatta celebrating its 100th anniversary.

It’s a regatta steeped in history and boasting some of the biggest names in world sailing as past winners.

Australian Olympians and multiple world champions Chris Nicholson and Iain Murray have both won titles at the Australian 18-footer skiff championships in the past - in the latter’s case an extraordinary five consecutive as skipper of the famous Color 7.

Sydney to Hobart campaigners like Scallywag skipper David Witt, Seve Jarvin, a six-time champion, and Jack Macartney also feature on the honour roll.

Five-time champion Billy Barnett on Myra II in 1950-51. Pics: Supplied

So to do skiff legends Bob Holmes, Len Heffernan and Dave Porter while Billy Barnett and his grandson Phil Barnett won their Australian 18-foot crowns more than three decades apart.

Now the Australian 18 Footers League has decided to honour some of the past greats of the class by naming each of the seven races at the upcoming championship being contested by 23 teams after some of the greats.

SKIFF LEGENDS HONOURED AT AUSTRALIAN CHAMPIONSHIPS 2022

Race one will be named for four-time winner Chris Webb who dominated between 1913-14 and 1926-27. RESULTS: 1 Andoo (Seve Jarvin, Matt Stenta and Sam Newton), 2 Smeg team (Michael Coxon, Ricky Bridge and Zac Barnabas), 3 Tech2 (Jack Macartney, Charlie Wyatt and Lewis Brake)

Race two will be named for Vic Vaughan, who won four consecutive titles from 1933-34 to 1936-37.

Race three will be named for five-time winner Lance Watts.

Race four will be named for Bill Barnett, a four-times winner between 1948-49 and 1954-55

Race five will be named for Norman Wright Jnr, a four-times winner, between 1951-52 and 1957-58

Race six will be named for Len Heffernan, a five-time winner between 1958-59 and 1963-64

Race 7 will be named for Bob Holmes, a five-times winner, between 1964-65 and 1972-73.

The Bruce Farr designed famous KB skiff.

AUSTRALIAN 18-FOOT SKIFF REGATTA SCHEDULE

February 5: Race 1

February 6: Races 2 & 3

February 7: Races 4 & 5

February 13: Races 6 & 7

Westana, the first champions. Pics: Supplied

FULL LIST OF AUSTRALIAN 18-FOOT SKIFF CHAMPIONS

1911-12 Westana Chris Garland WA

1912-13 Kismet Billy Dunn NSW

1913-14 Australian III Chris Webb NSW

1917-18 Britannia Colin Clark Q

1918-19 Mavis Frank Moppet NSW

1919 Australian championships on Sydney Harbour.

1920-21 Vision Colin Clark Q

1921-22 Mele Bilo Chris Garland WA

1922-23 Vision Colin Clark Q

1923-24 H.C. Press II Chris Webb NSW

1924-25 H.C. Press II Chris Webb NSW

1925-26 Queenslander III Jim Crouch Q

1926-27 H.C. Press II Chris Webb NSW

1929-30 Waratah Harold Crouch Q

1930-31 Arawatta Charlie Hayes NSW

1931-32 Tangalooma Lance Watts Q

1932-33 Arawatta Charlie Hayes NSW

Aberdare racing in her heyday.

1933-34 Aberdare Vic Vaughan Q

1934-35 Aberdare Vic Vaughan Q

1935-36 Aberdare Vic Vaughan Q

1936-37 *Aberdare Vic Vaughan Q

*Lightning Bert Swinbourne NSW

*(Tie, No sail-off, Aberdare retained title)

1937-38 Malvina W. ‘Billo’ Hayward NSW

1938-39 Victor Vic Lucas Q

1939-40 Marjorie Lance Watts Q

1940-41 Marjorie Lance Watts Q

1946-47 Australia Bill Stanley Q

1947-48 Culex II Lance Watts Q

1948-49 Myra Bill Barnett NSW

1949-50 Culex III Lance Watts Q

1950-51 Myra Too Bill Barnett NSW

Jenny V1 was a well known skiff and former winner.

1951-52 Jenny IV Norman Wright Jr Q

1952-53 Jenny V Norman Wright Jr Q

1953-54 Jan Bill Barnett NSW

1954-55 Myra Bill Barnett NSW

1955-56 Jenny VI Norman Wright Jr Q

1956-57 Ajax Bill Barnett NSW

1957-58 Jenny VI Norman Wright Jr Q

1958-59 Jantzen Girl IV Len Heffernan NSW

1959-60 Jantzen Girl V Len Heffernan NSW

1960-61 The Fox Vic Robinson NSW

1961-62 Crystal Lad Len Heffernan NSW

1962-63 Aberdare III Len Heffernan NSW

1963-64 Aberdare III Len Heffernan NSW

1964-65 Schemer Bob Holmes NSW

1965-66 Travelodge Bob Holmes NSW

1966-67 Associated Motor Club Don Barnett NSW

1967-68 Kaiser Bill Denis Lehany NSW

1968-69 Travelodge Bob Holmes NSW

1969-70 Willie B Rod Zemanek NSW

1970-71 Travelodge Bob Holmes NSW

1971-72 Nock & Kirby Denis Lehany NSW

1972-73 Travelodge Bob Holmes NSW

The famous 18-foot skiff Color 7, skippered by Iain Murray, on Sydney Harbour in the 1970s.

1973-74 KB Dave Porter NSW

1974-75 KB Dave Porter NSW

1975-76 Miles Furniture Stephen Kulmar NSW

1976-77 KB Dave Porter NSW

1977-78 Color 7 Iain Murray NSW

1978-79 Color 7 Iain Murray NSW

1979-80 Color 7 Iain Murray NSW

1980-81 Color 7 Iain Murray NSW

1982-82 Color 7 Iain Murray NSW

1982-83 Tia Maria Peter Sorensen NSW

1983-84 Tia Maria Peter Sorensen NSW

1984-85 Bradmill Robert Brown NSW

Crew of Skilled Engineering (L-R) Daniel Phillips, Chris Nicholson and Gary Boyd in 1996.

1985-86 Chesty Bond Trevor Barnabas NSW

1986-87 Goodman Fielder Robert Brown NSW

1987-88 Southern Cross Robert Brown NSW

1988-89 Prudential Michael Walsh NSW

1989-90 Prudential Michael Walsh NSW

1990-91 Prudential Robert Brown NSW

Phil Barnett and his Xerox skiff.

1991-92 Xerox Phil Barnett NSW

1992-93 Lipton Michael Walsh NSW

1993-94 Prudential Robert Brown NSW

1994-95 Prudential Robert Brown NSW

1995-96 Skilled Engineering Chris Nicholson NSW

1996-97 Skilled Engineering Chris Nicholson NSW

1997-98 Nokia David Witt NSW

1998-99 Austar Emmett Lazich NSW

1999-2000 AMP Centrepoint John Winning NSW

Crew on the Rag & Famish Hotel skiff back in 2001.

2000-01 Rag & Famish Hotel John Harris NSW

2001-02 Rag & Famish Hotel John Harris NSW

2002-03 Total Recall Tony Hannan NSW

2003-04 Casio Seapathfinder Michael Coxon NSW

2004-05 Casio Seapathfinder Michael Coxon NSW

2005-06 Asko Appliances Hugh Stodart NSW

2006-07 Macquarie Real Estate Micah Lane NSW

2008-08 Gotta Love It 7 Seve Jarvin NSW

2008-09 Gotta Love It 7 Seve Jarvin NSW

2009-10 Gotta Love It 7 Seve Jarvin NSW

The multiple winner Gotta Love It 7. s

2010-11 Thurlow Fisher Lawyers Michael Coxon NSW

2011-12 Thurlow Fisher Lawyers Michael Coxon NSW

2012-13 Gotta Love It 7 Seve Jarvin NSW

2013-14 Gotta Love It 7 Seve Jarvin NSW

2014-15 Gotta Love It 7 Seve Jarvin NSW

2015-16 Smeg Lee Knapton NSW

Five-time winner Michael Coxon in 2017.

2016-17 Thurlow Fisher Lawyers Michael Coxon NSW

2017-18 Smeg Lee Knapton NSW

2018-19 Asko Appliances James Dorron NSW

2019-20 Tech2 Jack Macartney NSW

2020-21 Tech2 Jack Macartney NSW