Jones out to win second Audi IRC Australian Championship

3:35 AM Wed 28 Jan 2009 GMT

'Alegria - Skandia Geelong Week 2009' Teri Dodds /Skandia Click Here to view large photo

Rod Jones again confirmed he was a distinct challenger to win the 2009 Audi IRC Australian Championship when he steered his new Archambault A40 Alegria to an impressive class win on Australia Day.

The Sunshine Coast Oceanburo Performance Sailing team including master tactician Adrian Finglas, navigator James Walker and highly skilled sail trimmers Sean O'Rourke and Bucky Smith established their authority as a major title contender when they mastered the tactically demanding winds during the six race Skandia Geelong Race Week regatta on Corio Bay.

Alegria had limited 'match practice' since winning her class Silver Medal during the Audi Hamilton Island Race Week in August however her crew answered the challenge with clever technique and tactical strategy claiming a five point win over their New South Wales rival Ruth Magic skippered by the 2008 Audi Australian IRC champion Peter Sorensen.

Ruth Magic relentlessly applied the tactical pressure winning three of the six races but skipper Sorensen and the Ruth Magic crew placed their control of the points score under threat when they added an 8-5-13 to the 'three bullets' eventually falling five places short in matching the more consistent Alegria.
Skipper Rod Jones has proved his helming skills in various classes including World Etchells and Tornado catamaran championships and this pressure racing experience combined with faultless crew skills eventually proved to be the difference with Alegria finishing with the impressive 3-2-4-2-2-2.

Crew spokesperson Adrian Finglas in wrapping the result said 'It was the perfect reward for the entire crew who were totally committed to keeping Alegria on the pace'.

Finglas has the experience and qualifications to appreciate sailing with a talented crew.

He has raced with some of the World's best including winning the 2005 World Etchells Silver Medal with the brilliant young American Samuel 'Shark' Kahn.
His versatility as a helmsman, tactician, sail trimmer and successful coach is well documented at the International level.

The Yachting Australia high performance coach has had a very busy and successful schedule since returning from the 2008 Beijing Olympic regatta.
Earlier this month he was in Mandurah, West Australia when the Yachting Queensland Youth team completed the Sunshine States best ever result with a 'Gold Rush' winning five individual Australian Youth championship Gold Medals.

A result which allowed the newly crowned National Laser Radial champions Curtis Skinner (Boys) and Ashley Stoddart (Girls ) to win selection for the 2009 Volvo World Youth championship in Brazil later this year with Bic Technico sailboarders Luke Baillie (Boys) and Joanna Stirling (Girls).
Meanwhile Finglas who won his first World championship as a teenager will team up with Simon Gorman to represent Queensland at the International 505 dinghy Australian championship at Manly (NSW) from February 15-21 before heading to the Royal Brighton Yacht Club (Victoria) in early March to prepare for the 2009 Audi Etchells World championship from March 5-14 with 2007 Australian champion Jason Muir's Racer XY crew.

by Ian Grant

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Jones out to win second Audi IRC Australian Championship

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