ISAF World Team Racing Gets Underway in Schull

1st September 2011

Afloat.ie Team

ISAF World Team Racing Gets Underway in Schull

Full championship racing got under way in Schull Harbour yesterday as twelve international sailing teams contest the ISAF Open World Team Racing Championship and eight compete for the Youth Worlds.

The first day of full competitive racing took place in perfect conditions with a strong easterly breeze,which gradually swung southeast , allowing for a full round robin of 96 scheduled races to be completed on the day. At this early stage of competition, the top four places in the Open Championship are occupied by American and British teams.

2011-ISAF_TEAM_RACING_WORLDS-photo-Brian_Carlin

The American first team ,NYCC Team Extreme, this year's winners of the Wilson Trophy British Open Team Racing Championship, dominated exchanges with ten wins from eleven races. Two British teams, the British University Sailing Association (BUSA) team and West Kirby Hawks share the second and third spots with nine wins from ten races and USA team The Rockets from Newport, Rhode Island, in fourth place on the round robin table.

In the Youth Worlds section of the event, the Spanish team proved to be the surprise package on the first day , winning all their races until defeated by the Irish Youth Champions, Schull Community College, in their final race. This resulted in both these teams jointly topping the table at the the end of the first day's racing.

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The Official Opening of the Championship took place on Tuesday Evening, performed by Mr. Tomasz Holc, Vice-president of the International Sailing Federation, ISAF, with the hoisting of the ISAF flag and the flags of the competing nations. A highlight of the evening was a performance for the assembled teams, officials, sponsors and guests by internationally famous accordion virtuoso, Liam O' Connor, of Lord of the Dance fame and now touring internationally with his own show.

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About Team Racing

Team racing in sailing is an exciting, strategy-focused format where two teams, usually with three boats each, compete to achieve the best combined score by the end of the race. Unlike fleet racing, where individual performance matters most, team racing emphasises teamwork, tactics, and boat positioning to outmanoeuvre the opposing team.

Each team typically has three boats, often two-person dinghies like the Firefly class. The boats from each team are distinguished by their unique sail colours or numbers.

Points are assigned to finishing positions, with 1 point for 1st place, 2 points for 2nd place, and so on. The team with the lowest combined score wins. The target is to achieve a "winning combination" of points. In a six-boat race (three per team), winning combinations include scores like 10 points or less for a 1-2-6 or a 2-3-5 finish.

Teams can slow down or block opposing boats, especially in an advantageous position. A boat ahead can "cover" an opponent, manoeuvring to block the wind and slow them down.

Teams often employ manoeuvres to help slower boats catch up or pass opponents, switching positions if needed. This keeps the team in a winning configuration.

At key turning points, boats can execute mark traps, where they intentionally slow down or position themselves to block opponents, forcing them into bad turns or causing them to lose speed.

Team racing follows standard sailing rules but with some additions tailored to team tactics. For example, a "fouling" boat (one that breaks a rule) must complete a penalty turn or even multiple turns, depending on the rule violation. Penalty management is crucial as it can make or break a team's success in the race.

Constant communication is key as team members coordinate strategies, adjust for wind shifts, and adapt to changes in the race. They signal intentions, warn of opponents' moves, and ensure every team member’s position is optimized.

In short, team racing combines fast-paced sailing with strategic teamwork. While speed is essential, winning often depends more on positioning, communication, and the ability to execute effective tactics as a team.

THE IRISH TEAM RACING ASSOCIATION CALENDAR 2024