Adrian has played a vital role in the development of James and Joshua as sailors. With years of experience in the sport, he has a deep understanding of both the technical and mental aspects of sailing. Beyond helping them with sailing techniques, he has emphasised the importance of fitness, teaching them how physical strength and conditioning contribute to better performance on the water. Adrian has also guided them in making smart nutritional choices and approaching life with discipline and purpose. His wealth of knowledge and ability to instil confidence have made a lasting impact, shaping them into capable and focused young sailors on the water and responsible, driven individuals off the water.

Adrian coached Lucas and me for two years to 16th and then 10th place at the 29er worlds in 2023 and 2024. We won both heat and gold fleet races in a fleets of 260 boats from 30 countries. Adrian has national, international and Olympic level experience with over 3 decades of experience that comes together in 2 hour sessions on the water. Adrian used his experience to guide us as a young team to prepare well, do the hard work on the water and check in from time to time to get focus areas for improvement. We have both moved into new classes now and will be relying on Adrian to take us further in our sailing journey.

Adrian Finglas is a highly accomplished sailor and coach. His knowledge and experience in his current role as RQYS club coach has been invaluable to my sailing over the past three years as my team have prepared for Club , State and National title defences in the VX One class. With group and one on one coaching sessions there is always advancements to be made in all areas of your sailing and Adrian’s coaching style makes for a very positive learning experience.

Adrian has been involved in the development of our son, Jackson Black, since 2022. During this time, Adrian has been instrumental in all parts of his development, from on and off the water coaching, fitness training, regatta selection, class progression, nutrition, and mental preparation. Through this period, Jackson has had exposure to different classes, including competing at the 2023 OK Nationals and Worlds, Flying 11 Nationals, numerous Ilca regattas locally (Jackson came 4th in the Ilca 4 Nationals and Under 16 National Champion) and overseas. Adrian has also introduced Jackson (& the squad) to numerous Olympic and world champion sailors, since his time as head coach, which has exposed Jackson and others to the pinnacle of our sport. It’s not only the introduction, but the personal connection and respect between Adrian and the elite that has allowed Jackson to get to know some of the world’s best. We love Adrian’s long game approach and how he is determined to not only develop Jackson into a high-performance sailor, but into a good sportsman. One who appreciates hard work and has the grit to take on the world (one day!!)

RQYS Youth sailing under Head Coach Adrian Finglas is developing coaching and mentoring approaches that uniquely cater to teenage girls and young woman. Adrain finds a good balance to encourage girls to push themselves and compete on equal footing with the boys when possible, yet is aware of the differences to change approach when needed. His customised analytical and personal approach to each individual athlete is particularly well suited to girls and young women, who often lack weight, height and sheer physical strength of their peer teenage boys and young men. He does a great job to encourage and keep them motivated when self-doubt starts to keep in.

Adrian has been a wonderful influence on the kids in terms of the technical aspect of sailing but also their lifeskills. He has been an exemplar of the importance of learning the right attributes to excel in sailing but also life. Coaches in my experience typically fall into two camps .. the first camp are those characterised by their technical skills and ability in the art of sailing and the second camp are those characterised by wanting the best for his/her athlete and place their needs first. Adrian is the rare coach who falls across both. We are very lucky to have his wonderful attitude and energy positively shaping RQ's athletes of the future.

My son Henry has benefitted significantly from the coaching and mentoring support provided from head coach, Adrian. The combination of focused, tailored one on one training sessions both on the water and in the classroom together with group coaching has lifted the skill level and performance of my son and many of his fellow RQ club members. Adrian’s professionalism, breadth of experience and passion at getting the best from his athletes has contributed to the success of my son and many RQ sailors in State, National and International regattas.

Adrian is one of the best coaches I have had the pleasure of working with. He is not only a teacher, but a mentor for sailors on the Olympic pathway. Without his involvement, I would for certain not be where I am today - he is a trusted advisor who continues to advocate for my success no matter what that looks like. I feel incredibly grateful and lucky to have him here at home, Royal Queensland Yacht Squadron.

Adrian has helped Wilbur in his transition between classes and has provided one on one support to help Wilbur improve in the areas he has previously struggled with. Wilbur’s improvement over the last year has been dramatic and is due to the quality of coaching he receives.

Adrian Finglas’s introduction as the new RQ Head Coach has played a vital role in my development as a sailor. He helped shape my training program and has ensured I improve significantly every session that he coaches. His wealth of knowledge over many classes has ensured my ILCA 6 progress in training and racing. I feel incredibly lucky to have access to Adrians coaching and I thank RQYS for the opportunity.

It was great to have Adrian Finglas aboard for WAGS. His insights around pre-race preparation, rig setup, sail settings and positioning on the course were invaluable. Quite often we focus on making the boat better, instead of ourselves. Coaching should be considered an essential step in our "ways to go faster" on a race course, even if we have been sailing for decades!

Adrian is a highly skilled coach with a distinct ability to develop youth sailing talent. Over the last 2 years, Adrian worked closely with Luke in Lucas in the 29er class to develop a winning partnership, achieving success at a national and international level. Adrian's approach is balanced and provides the necessary guidance to bring out the best in the sailors he coaches. Adrian offers a wealth of knowledge, information and practical tools for sailors to equip them for the challenges and pressures of high-level racing and regatta management. I would recommend Adrian to any sailor who wants to get the advantage over their competition in their racing, or develop skills to a higher level.