αs From Hadronic τ Decay Data

We discuss the extraction of αs using isovector hadronic τ decay data and sum rules constructed specifically to suppress contributions associated with poorly known higher dimension condensates. We show, first, that problems with the treatment of such contributions affect earlier related analyses and, second, that these problems can be brought under good theoretical control through the use of an alternate analysis strategy. Our results, run up to the nf=5 regime, correspond to , in excellent agreement with the recently updated global fit to electroweak data at the Z scale and other high-scale direct determinations.