Finn Class
Lewis Davies takes early lead in Finn NSW Championship
The sailor Chris Links pointed to as ‘one to watch’ has taken an early lead of the Finn NSW Championship, which started on Pittwater today, in ideal 10-14 knot north-easterly winds.
Three races were put to bed and Lewis Davies, from Victoria, scored a pair of second places and a third to amass a three point lead over local sailor, Links. A further four points away is Sam Ede, Davies’ club mate at Daveys Bay Yacht Club. Ede is the only one sailing in the Under 30s category at this event.
Lewis, who only started sailing a Finn in 2022 said, “I had a consistent day. I wasn’t far behind Nocka (defending champion and race winner, Anthony Nossiter) in the first race. And in the second, I wasn’t far behind Ian (McKillop).”
The first two races were quite consistent, with the wind fairly stable and the left side of the course favoured. However, “Race 3 was quite light and very shifty. I was going mad trying to find the wind downwind,” Davies said.
Thirty-five year old Davies is one of the youngest sailors in the fleet. He hasn’t looked at the pointscore. “I don’t want to know the points difference, but it’s good to have the lead,” he said.
“I’m feeling good in the boat. I didn’t make any real mistakes today. The focus of this regatta for me is consistency and less risk taking. I had good downwind speed and I used it to my advantage.”
As to the competition, the Victorian stated: “Everybody is competition. Everyone is dangerous. Everyone is there. In the last race, I thought I could easily have had a crack, but then I could have finished anywhere from first to 10th – so I didn’t do it.”
Some didn’t sail the correct courses today, so dropped down the leaderboard or did not finish, when a couple were ripe for a top three finish. Unlikely that mistake will be repeated. That being said, it will tighten the competition tomorrow.
Race 1 was a longer three lapper which suited triple Olympian and defending NSW champion, Nossiter to a tee. Davies and Ede picked up second and third places in that race. There were just 15 seconds separating the top two, with a further 35 seconds to Ede.
Davies also scored second in Race 2, which was won by McKillop (NSW), by just seven seconds. Marcus Whitley (NSW) was third, finishing only 10 seconds behind Davies in this hotly contested Championship. Links was fourth.
In Race 3, Matt Visser (NSW), had the goods, scoring a 22 second win over Links, with Davies third, little more than a minute adrift of Links.
Nossiter could not maintain the momentum of Race 1 and fell away to fifth on the two-lap course in Race 2 and dropped to ninth in Race 3: “I was learning how to sail again,” he said. ”I haven’t done much Finn sailing since the Finn Masters Worlds (in February), but it’s good to be out there again.”
Nossiter said there were “plenty of opportunities, as it was quite shifty in Race 3 on a nice day of sailing, but I would like a bit more breeze tomorrow please.” Others also would like a heavier day to mix things up a bit.
Hosted by Royal Prince Alfred Yacht Club (RPAYC) on Pittwater, Day 1 of the Finn NSW Championship, kicked off in fine style with three windward/leeward races put to bed in ideal conditions on a beautiful spring day. In all, the day gave competitors a good workout ahead of tomorrow’s final three races to decide the Championship.
Many of these sailors are gearing up for the 2027 Finn Australian Championship to be held in February at Twofold Bay Yacht Club in Eden on the NSW South Coast.
The Finn NSW Championship is organised by RPAYC in conjunction with the NSW Finn Class Association and supported by Vaikobi and North Sails. Nineteen boats representing NSW, Victoria and Queensland.
Top ten overall after three races:
1. Stay Slipper (AUS55) Lewis Davies (Vic) 7 points
2. Maggie (AUS72) Chris Links (NSW) 10
3. Lads on Tour (AUS111) Sam Ede (Vic) 14
4. Layla (AUS110) Marcus Whitley (NSW) 14
5. Norge (AUS221) Anthony Nossiter (NSW) 15
6. Ken (AUS26) Ian McKillop (NSW) 18
7. Go (AUS321) Richie Robertson (Vic) 21
8. Does My Bung Look Big In
This? (AUS231) James Mayjor (NSW) 22
9. Somehow Someday (AUS240) Dougal Watt (Vic) 28
10. MB7 (AUS121) Tim Ede (Vic) 31
For full results and all information, please visit: https://rpayc.com.au/int-finn-class-nsw-championship/