Images from the Audi SB3 Queensland Match Racing Championships

Audi SB3 Queensland match racing championship

Sean O’Rourke combined a welcome break from university study in Sydney to record a remarkable perfect score win in the Audi SB3 Queensland match racing championship off Mooloolaba Beach earlier today.

O’Rourke (19) who represented the Mooloolaba Dinghy Sailing Club when he cleverly won the Australian Sabot Championship in Bowen only four years ago clearly showed his understanding of the ‘local knowledge’ steering Oceanburo to 13 wins from 13 races during the highly competitive three day series.

Sure Sean O’Rourke had an advantage but that was only embraced within his personal experience which was yet to be tested in the cut and thrust of one-design match racing against a high class fleet of tried and tested crews including David Chapman’s Team Edake from The Royal Sydney Yacht Squadron and the Katie Spithill’s Wot Chicks from Royal Prince Alfred Yacht Club.

He confidently faced up to his first Round Robin match race on Friday making all the right choices in a light westerly land breeze to score an impressive win and continued with this form to emerge as a major title threat when they had the pace on Wot Chicks to finish with an undefeated record in the qualifying rounds on day one.

Remarkably the Oceanburo crew of Sean O’Rourke, Jay Griffin and brother and sister sailors Will and Jamie Ryan while being good friends had never raced together before they stepped into Oceanburo.

But all four were physically and mentally prepared to accept the challenge with their confidence, strategy and technique improving with every race.

That confidence was again evident when the Oceanburo crew progressively eliminated their rivals to enter the best of five final series of match races against the equally determined and more experienced Wot Chicks.

As expected Katie Spithill probed and tested the Oceanburo crew for any weakness and while she cleverly won all three starts the Oceanburo crew fought back winning the decisive first use of the breeze to win the final with three straight wins.

There was a well deserved sense of pride when Oceanburo sealed her win and while Sean O’Rourke had good reason to be happy with his first major match race title as skipper he was quick to applaud the commitment of his equally happy crew mates.

'Will and Jamie Ryan along with Jay Griffin gave me the time to think about my role of sailing fast while we all communicated on tactics and strategy'.

'It’s team work that makes winning possible and the win resulted from a top team effort'. Sean O’Rourke said.

Results 2008 Audi SB3 Queensland Match Racing championship open final:

1. Oceanburo (Sean O’Rourke, Qld)
2. Wot Chicks (Katie Spithill,NSW)
3. Allyacht Spars (Luke Johnson, Qld)
4. Team Adake (David Chapman, NSW)
5. Team Jeanneau (Phil Gray, Qld)
6. Team Noosa (Kai Timm, Qld)

Youth:
1. Oceanburo Tasqua Youth (Ryan Palk, Qld)
2. RQYS Youth (Curtiss Skinner, Qld)

3. Open Women:
Team Wot Chicks 1,
Audi Sunshine Girls (Lauren Calder, Qld) 2

Audi Queensland Match Racing Championship - Day 1

The tactically clever one-design match racing sailors experienced a 'brain drain' during the first day of the Audi Queensland SB3 Match racing championships off a warm and sunny Mooloolaba Beach earlier today.

Weather conditions were perfect for the sun seeking holidaying tourists and the local offshore fisherman who used the annual Agricultural Show holiday to return with bags of reef fish.

Unfortunately the light and twisting wind which boxed all western points of the compass with an unpredictable mood swing of up to 200 degrees helped to plunge a high number of smart match racing tacticians into the depths of despair.

However they all had the chance to draw the smart card and when the call fell short they had to accept that 'Old Huey' was playing his role in showing that natures elements can never be completely controlled.

All 14 teams representing New South Wales and Queensland clubs including the World ranked Wot Chicks, skippered by the tactically clever Royal Prince Alfred Yacht Club helmswoman Katie Spithill, had good reason to not be real happy with the weather god.

Race officials also had to accept that the westerly land breeze at this time of the year will leave their skill and experience to be challenged but there is no one who can claim to have made the perfect call every time to give the equally dedicated sailors a fair go on a perfectly set course each time they tension the sails.

Results Day 1
Pool A Rd 1
Match 1. Team Jeanneau (Phil Gray) d Team RQYS (Suellen Hurling).
Match 2. Team Noosa (Kai Timm) d Team Wagop (Lachlan McLean).
Match 3. Team Allyacht Spars (Juke Johnson) d Team Mexican Bananas (Callum
Burns)
Bye Team Edake (David Chapman).

Rd 2
Match 1 Team Jeanneau d Team Wagop
Match 2 Team Edake d Team Mexican Bananas
Match 3 Team Noosa d Team RQYS
Bye Team Allyacht Spars.

Rd 3
Match 1 Team Allyacht Spars d Team Wagop
Match 2 Team Edake d Team RQYS.
Match 3 Team Noosa d Team Mexican Bananas
Bye Team Jeanneau

Rd 4
Match 1 Team RQYS d Team Allyacht Spars
Match 2 Team Edake d Team Wagop
Match 3 Team Jeanneau d Team Mexican Bananas
Bye Team Noosa.

Rd 5
Match 1 Team Noosa d Team Edake.
Match 2 Team RQYS d Team Mexican Bananas
Match 3 Team Allyacht Spars d Team Jeanneau
Bye Team Wagop

Rd 6
Match 1 Team Wagop d Team Mexican Bananas.
Match 2 Team Allyacht Spars d Team Noosa.
Match 3 Team Edake d Team Jeanneau.
Bye Team RQYS.

Rd 7
Match 1 Team Wagop d Team RQYS.
Match 2 Team Jeanneau d Team Noosa.
Match 3 Team Edake d Team Allyacht Spars.
Bye Team Mexican Bananas.

Pool B Rd 1
Match 1 Team Tasqua Youth (Ryan Palk) d Team SB3 (Nick Moriarty)
Match 2 Team RQYS Youth (Curtiss Skinner) d Audi Sunshine Coast Girls
(Lauren Calder)
Match 3 Team Oceanburo Youth (Sean O'Rourke) d Team Bake N Shake (Jack
Sweep)
Bye Team Wot Chicks (Katie Spithill).

Rd 2
Match 1 Team Tasqua Youth d Team Audi Sunshine Coast Girls
Match 2 Team Wot Chicks d Team Bake N Shake.
Match 3 Team RQYS Youth d Team SB3.
Bye Team Oceanburo Youth

SB3 Worlds Entry Full - Five Months to go...

Many of the world’s top sailors are among the 120 entries received for the SB3 World Championship where entry capacity for the event has been reached six months before the event date.

The National Yacht Club, Dun Laoghaire, has confirmed entrants from twelve countries – including New Zealand, Australia, USA, Dubai, France, Italy – as well as large entries from Ireland and the UK.

Initially the plan was to close entries on 1 June 2008 – but interest has been above and beyond expectations as National Yacht Club, Event Chairman, Rory Byrne explained:

'There is amazing enthusiasm for the event. Considering the logistics of a full team and the associated equipment and support travelling to Dublin Bay in September, it just shows that this really is the premier racing event on the 2008 sailing calendar.'

Among the 50 Irish entries, last years Irish National Champion and Irish Olympic Sailor, Tom Fitzpatrick will compete. The UK entries include Craig Burlton and Geoff Carveth both previous European Champions in the SB3 Fleet. Many other notable sailor with National and European titles to their credit will ensure that the event is one of the most closely contested in Europe for a number of years.

The SB3 is the fastest growing fleet of keel boats in the world today and the World Championship promises to be one of the most exciting sailing events ever held.

SB3 World Championship - 20 – 26 September 2008

National Yacht Club, Dun Laoghaire

Programme

Saturday 20 Sept - Arrival, Registration, Measurement
Sunday 21 Sept - Registration, Measurement, Practice race, Opening ceremony 18:00
Monday 22 Sept - 1st Racing Day – 3 races
Tuesday 23 Sept - 2nd Racing Day – 3 races
Wednesday 24 Sept - 3rd Racing Day – 3 races
Thursday 25 Sept - 4th Racing day – 3 races
Friday 26 Sept - Final racing day - 2 races, Prize giving and closing ceremony

Charter an SB3 for the Audi CYCA WInter Series

Three is the magic number for the Audi CYCA Winter series
Do you suffer from one of the following?
• Crew difficulties during the winter months
• Finding time to prepare your boat for the new season
• Fancy a change

Then Oceanburo might be able to help as they have a limited number of SB3’s available for charter during the Audi CYCA winter series.

Three good reasons to get onboard:
1. The SB3 is the fastest growing one design keelboat in the world! It only requires a crew of three or 4 to race competitively, so your only worry is finding two other crew members, which enables greater winter sailing flexibility. The 270kg weight limit also means that the boat is perfect for 4 up sailing with lighter crews.
2. The Audi CYCA winter series is on for four months, by chartering an SB3 you will be giving yourself three months to race prepare your boat for the coming season, whilst sharpening your skills in this strict one design class.
3. All charter sailors will be entered into the chance to win a free wildcard entry to the SB3 Nationals at Skandia Geelong Race Week.
All the charter boats are less than six months old and are also available for sale after the event. Boats will be available in Sydney approximately two days before the start of the event and will include the appropriate public liability insurance required to compete in this event as a minimum.

So how much does this all cost?
• Boat for the whole series - $3000.00 ( includes insurance but not entry )
• Boat for 10 races of the series $2200.00 ( includes insurance but not entry )
• Boat for 5 races of the series $1100.00 ( includes insurance but not entry )

Pre regatta training will also be available from the Oceanburo team to ensure sailors are able to gain maximum performance from these exciting boats.

To find out more information on the SB3, or to book your charter please contact:

Dartsailboats Oceanburo
Tel: +61 (0)3 9016 4151 Tel: +61 (0)404 094244
Email: info@dartsailboats.com Email: kaitimm@oceanburo.com.au
www.dartsailboats.com www.oceanburo.com.au

Queensland Match Racing Finals to be sailed in SB3's

Mooloolaba Sailing Club will be the venue for the 2008 Queensland Match Racing Championships. The event will be sailed in brand new SB3's and takes place on the 13-15th June. The notice of race and entry form can be downloaded at http://www.oceanburo.com.au/QLD_MR_NOR_Final08.pdf

SB3's race in Sydney for the first time!

SB3’s are already beginning to arrive in Sydney for the Audi Sydney Harbour Regatta on 1st and 2nd March. Teams are trying to keep their training secret as the racing at the inaugural SB3 national championships held during Skandia Geelong Week was so close. Sailors are now focusing on trying to get the upper hand as the fleet in Geelong was often only separated by seconds at the finish.

Early front runners include:

‘Green Machine’
Former Australian Sabot champion Sean O’Rourke has good reason to be excited about his future career in one design fleet racing and the highly competitive IRC class ocean racing. The exceptionally talented Mooloolaba Yacht Club sailor who added the Audi Australian IRC championship to his impressive career as a member of the Rod Jones skippered OceanBuro crew has already shown he can race with the best in the Dart SB3.

‘Team Ocean’s 11’
Skippered by Kai Timm, tactician, top sailing coach and distributor for the SB3 in Australia has sharpened his teeth well before the event. Timm said “We are using this as a training event for the Worlds in Ireland”

‘RGYC1’
Skippered by Brendan Garner, this top Melbourne based sailor just missed out on the top spot at the nationals after a lost protest. Brendan is probably regarded as the man to beat, but he will have his work cut out if he wants to walk away as the winner.

‘Wagop
Skippered by Mike Mclean. If Wagop can produce the same level of performance as they did on the first day of the nationals expect to see them close to the front!


Also in the mix will be the Newcastle fleet of SB3’s sporting their Star Wars names. Rod Jones, Distributor and director of Oceanburo, said “I was delighted to be part of the SB3 event in Geelong and I am excited about the sailors visiting Sydney, which is truly a great venue for this boat; I only wish I was racing!”
Another great event for the SB3.
Everyone is getting onboard! Are you?
To find out more about the Dart SB3, please contact:
Dartsailboats Oceanburo
Tel: +61 (0)3 9016 4151 Tel: +61 (0)404 094244
Email: info@dartsailboats.com Email: kaitimm@oceanburo.com.au
www.dartsailboats.com www.oceanburo.com.au