Teenage Sunshine Coast skipper Matthew Jones (17) steered Tasqua Youth to a runaway win in the Meridien Marinas Airlie Beach Race Week Dart SB3 championship on Pioneer Bay today.

Skipper Jones had a good understanding in sailing for clear wind out of the starts and this was again evident when Tasqua Youth developed unmatched speed winning all three races to wrap up the championship with a day to spare.

The young crew of Mooloolaba Dinghy Club sailing mates Sean Lindsell (17) Levi Curtis (14) and Kris Blanch (17) had a good understanding of strict one-design racing limiting their mistakes while taking full advantage from the wind direction changes which regularly blew over the course today.

'The racing was a real learning curve for us and we enjoyed sailing in the series besides having a fun time we have learnt a lot ' Matthew Jones said.

They certainly had control of the series breaking away for an early lead after three races and progressively answered the tactical challengers from their older and more experienced rivals to win nine of the eleven heats in a mixed range of winds.

This was again revealed on Pioneer Bay today when the Matthew Jones helmed Tasqua Youth was put under some pressure in the prestart but countered her challengers by controlling the start and the initial windward beat.

One design racing is very much a work in progress and the Tasqua Youth crew emerged smarter and more experienced to enter tomorrow's final triangular course race around Pioneer Bay with a commanding 15 point lead while John McLean in Marine Tech Electric and brother Michael in WAGOP (We Are Good on Paper) will become involved in a private match race to decide the minor championship places.

by Ian Grant

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