Eric Twiname Team Racing Championships Set for Welcome Return in Oxford

6th October 2021

Afloat.ie Team

Team racing at the Eric Twiname trophy will take place in Firefly dinghies for youth teams and RS Fevas for juniors

More than 40 teams of young sailors are set for battle this weekend as the 2021 Eric Twiname Team Racing Championships returns.

Around 240 junior and youth sailors from across the country will descend on Oxford’s Farmoor Reservoir to compete for the top spot over two days of team-on-team action.

It will be a welcome return for the much-loved event, which had to be cancelled in 2020 due to the pandemic.

Racing will take place in Firefly dinghies for youth teams and RS Fevas for juniors, with prizes awarded in each category.

Teams are made up of three boats in the youth fleet and two boats for juniors, each crewed by two sailors. Teams compete in a round-robin before the top teams face off in a knockout to determine the winners.

To promote gender equality in sailing, mixed-gender teams were given priority during the entry process. As a result, of the 47 teams competing only five are single-gender with a significant increase in the proportion of female helms competing from previous years.

Niall McLeod, RYA Racing Services Manager, said: “The Eric Twiname Team Racing Championships is a real highlight of the racing calendar, and we’re delighted to see it return in 2021.

“Team racing is a really exciting, fun and sociable discipline of sailing combining tactics and teamwork, and it’s great for improving fleet racing skills such as boat handling and rules knowledge too.

“We are pleased to see so many mixed-gender teams at this year’s event, and we’re looking forward to a real showcase of team racing this weekend.”

The regatta, named after famous sailor, author and journalist Eric Twiname, has seen many members of the current British Sailing Team compete in previous editions such as 470 sailors Eilidh McIntyre, Amy Seabright and Georgina Povall.

Entries are subsidised by the Eric Twiname Trust, which was set up in Twiname’s name following his death in 1980.

Results will be posted here

Published in Team Racing

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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.