Profile

Name: Jo Aleh

Date of Birth: 15/5/86

Yacht Club: Kohimarama Yacht Club, Takapuna Boating Club

Hobbies/Interests: Sailing.. (Obviously)  I also enjoy both road and mountain biking, and a bit of surfing on the side.. Also learning (slowly) how to play the guitar..

Occupation: Well, I was a student, but am really more of a full time athlete at the moment. I am working towards eventually finishing a degree in Mechanical Engineering, I plan to go back to Uni in 2009 after the Olympics and complete another of the 3 years I have remaining..

Current World Ranking: 5th

Current NZ Ranking: 1st

Sailing Highlights
2002
-1st Tanner Cup (inter-provincial competition for under 16s, sailed in the P-Class) and was the first female to do this since its inception in 1945
-3rd Tauranga Cup (P-Class Nationals)
-1st Open Byte Regatta at CORK (Canadian Olympic Regatta Kingston)
2003
-4th Overall at the Starling Nationals, 1st Woman
-6th Place ISAF Youth World Sailing Championships, Maderia, Portugal
2004
-Silver medal, ISAF Youth World Sailing Championships, Gdynia, Poland
2005
-2nd Overall and 2nd Woman, Sail Melbourne, Melbourne, Australia
-2nd Overall and 2nd Woman, NZ Laser Radial Nationals, Napier, NZ
-9th Laser Radial European Womans Championships, Croatia
2006
-1st Sail Auckland, Auckland, NZ
-1st NZ Laser Radial Nationals, Nelson, NZ
-4th French Olympic Sailing Week, Hyeres, France
-3rd Holland Regatta, Medemblik, Holland
-2nd Pre Pre Olympic Regatta, Qingdao, China
2007
-2007 420 Womens World Champion with crew Olivia Powrie
-2nd NZ Nationals, Kerikeri, NZ
-3rd Princess Sofia Regatta, Palma, Spain
-2nd French Olympic Sailing Week, Hyeres, France
-1st Kiel Week, Kiel, Germany
-8th Laser Radial World Championships
-2nd Pre Olympic Regatta, Qingdao, China

-3rd Sydney International Regatta, Sydney, Australia

-2nd Australian Nationals, Melbourne, Australia
Named in the 2008 NZ Olympic Team

2008

-3rd Sail Melbourne Regatta, Melbourne, Australia

-2nd overall NZ Nationals, 1st Kiwi. Taupo, NZ

-7th Beijing Olympic Games

Sailing History...

After watching the 1995 Americas Cup on TV, Jo decided that she wanted to sail, so after completing learn to sail courses at Ponsonby Cruising Club, she moved to Kohimarama Yacht Club where she started sailing the Optimist. Jo was the top NZ female in the Optimist for two years running before moving into a P-Class, where she competed in 3 National Championships culminating in a successful last year in 2002, winning the Tanner Cup and placing 3rd in the Tauranga Cup (Nationals).

Jo then moved out of the junior classes, and into a Europe in time for the 2002 Europe Nationals, where she placed 3rd overall in her first open event, later placing 3rd in the 2002 Youth Trials, although she missed out on qualifying for the ISAF Youth Worlds, she received a Rotary Scholarship to travel to Canada and compete in the CORK regatta, where she won both the Youthfest, and Open event in the Byte class.

Jo then jumped back into the Starling (NZ under 19 class) to compete in the 2003 Nationals, where she finished 4th overall and first female. Jo then won the 2003 Youth Trials (sailed in a Europe) and after quickly learning how to sail a Laser Radial, travelled to Portugal with the NZ Youth Team to compete in the ISAF Youth Worlds, where she finished 6th.

In 2004 Jo competed in the Laser Radial Worlds, held in Brisbane, Australia. Where she finished 9th in the Open regatta, and 16th overall and 3rd female in the Youth Event. Then went on to once again win the Youth Trials, and compete in the ISAF Youth Worlds, this time held in Poland, where she placed 2nd.

Since moving out of the Youth Classes, Jo has been competing in the Laser Radial (Womens Olympic Single Handed Class) achieving a 9th place at the 2005 European Championships, and placing 2nd at the NZ Nationals two years running, most recently placing 1st Woman. After a successful 2006 NZ Circuit, Jo is ranked 1st in NZ in the Laser Radial.

And as something to do during the European off season in 2006/7 Jo had a go at sailing a 420 with crew Olivia Powrie, and won the 2007 420 Womens World Championship held at Takapuna Beach, in NZ.

After a successfull 2007 year in Europe with three top 3 results in major regattas, and an 8th place at the world championships, Jo was named in the NZ Olympic team for 2008.

She represented her country at the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games, where she sailed a regatta of two half's, managing to lead going into the half way stages of the regatta, only to struggle in the second half, to end the regatta in 7th overall.  Not how she wanted to finish her first Olympics, but a noble effort all the same, and one that provides even more incentive to do it all again (and better) for the 2012 Games in London.

Schooling and Such..

Jo went to school at Westlake Girls High, where as well as winning the NZ Secondary School Girls Regatta every year she competed (twice in the P-Class, three times in the Sunburst) she actually did some school work too.. receiving a few General Excellence awards, and becoming a prefect in her final year.

In 2005 Jo started an Engineering degree at Auckland University, and completed one year, although this course has now been put on hold until there is a bit less sailing to do...