Gonzaga College Win Leinster School Sailing Championships

28th March 2012

Afloat.ie Team

Gonzaga College Win Leinster School Sailing Championships

Dublin's Gonzaga College beat Rathdown School to win the Lenister Schools Team Racing Championships after a thrilling 45 rounds of competition. Third overall were Kilkenny College from an entry of ten schools.

The inaugural event was run in fair weather last Saturday by the Royal St George Yacht Club whose Club Firefly dinghies were chartered for the event.

Some competitors were slightly rusty team racers at the beginning but within 10 races the young sailors had mastered the game with lots of one-on-one match racing and all starts bang on the line. The spirit of the event was of competitive fun with a bunch of very well mannered sailors enjoying the banter in the ribs and on the change-over vessel when not competing in the schedule of 45 rapid succession races.

The rapid skill progress was clear demonstration of the effectiveness of team racing in skill development.

Post sailing all agreed this is the start of more schools activity. This year sees the inauguration of Leinster Schools Team Sailing as an ad-hoc committee set up by Chris Craig and David Williams, both of whom have sons in St Michael's College who own boats, and ran this event.

There was 3 Wednesday afternoon coaching sessions leading up to the event, with teams of two competing. These were sailed in competitors' own Fevas with the NYC also providing their Fevas FOC. Gonzaga, the event winners, dominated the coaching. More coaching events are planned.

In other countries local authorities facilitate schools sailing but in Ireland it's up to Clubs and volunteers to service this growing and fertile market, for the general good of the Sport and Schools.

The top four teams qualify for the Nationals Schools Team Racing Championships to be run by David Harte in Schull - April 21st/22nd.

The final result is as follows :-

2012 LEINSTER SCHOOL TEAM SAILING CHAMPIONSHIPS - RESULTS

1. Gonzaga College

2. Rathdown

3. Kilkenny

4. Belvedere College

5. St Andrews College

6. Mount Anville A

7. Mount Anville B

8. Loreto College

9. St Gerards

10. Loreto Dalkey

Published in Team Racing

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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