SB3 Queensland fleet continues to grow

'Audi Queensland SB3 Match Racing Championships' Ben Calder

Audi Australian IRC class sailing champions Rod Jones and Kai Timm have not rested on their laurels since winning their National Ocean racing title at Hamilton Island in August 2007.

It's been business as usual over the past 13 months with the principles of Oceanburo Performance Sailing successfully introducing a fleet of Dart SB3 one-design sports boats into Queensland with their home base at the Mooloolaba Dinghy Sailing Club.

This fast and exciting class has proved popular on the international sailing circuit with Kai Timm, Greg Macallansmith and Chris Annear representing Australia at the World championship in Ireland last month where they finished 13th in the Silver fleet after a disappointing start in the qualifying races.

However the intense nature of the competition has provided Team Noosa and Tasqua Youth Squad coach Kai Timm with an important insight into the sail-fast aspects of the class.

Timm returns from Ireland tomorrow and will back coaching on the Noosa River next week as he prepares for another very busy sailing season including encouraging and educating first time sailors how to sail safe and free with the wind in the fleet of Vagabond dinghies.

He will also combine his coaching skills with Australian Olympic coach Adrian Finglas when Oceanburo launch their SB3 Dart class racing off Mooloolaba Beach on October 18.

Both exceptionally talented coaches will continue to be involved with improving the technique and tactical skills of the crews in preparation for the Queensland Championships raced in conjunction with the International Sail Brisbane regatta on the Royal Queensland Yacht Squadron courses in late November.

Finglas who coached Dan Fitzgibbon and Rachel Cox to win the Sonar class Silver Medal at the Beijing Para-Olympic regatta has accepted to contest the 2009 World Dart SB3 championship in Portugal with Rod Jones and Greg Macallansmith.

"Adrian will continue his high performance coaching role with the Australian Yachting Team and when time permits he will be involved with both the Dart SB3 and the Oceanburo Archambault A40 ocean racing programs". Rod Jones said.
The tactical competition at the Queensland championships will certainly be lifted to another standard as the Dart SB3 crews promise to be on the pace before heading to Corio Bay (Geelong) for the 2009 Australian championship and the Skandia Geelong Race Week regatta.

"Australian sailors are continuing to accept the Dart SB3 with another three boats sold last month including one of the Gold Coast". Rod Jones said.

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Audi Queensland SB3 Match Racing Championships - Ben Calder

his interest will continue to grow as the race results in the strict nature of this 'clone class' sports boat are not decided under a handicap system but purely on the tactical skills and combined sail handling technique of the crew.
Every crew has an even chance off the start line with equal boat speed with all races decided by the crew who make the least number of human related errors.

One slow spinnaker set or a bad selection of downwind tacking angles can mean the difference between winning and defeat which suggest there will be some tactical fireworks when the major championships are decided on the Mooloolaba, Moreton Bay and Geelong courses this season.

by Ian Grant