Entries Opening Soon for 2023 Eric Twiname Junior & Youth Team Racing Championships

23rd July 2023

Afloat.ie Team

29 junior teams and 28 youth teams battled it out for a sought-after top spot at the 2022 Eric Twiname Youth and Junior Team Racing Championships in Oxford

Save the dates for 2023’s Eric Twiname Junior & Youth Team Racing Championships which will be held over the weekend of 7-8 October at Oxford Sailing Club on Farmoor Reservoir.

Young sailors aged eight to 18 across Great Britain and Northern Ireland will soon be invited to join the junior team racing event of the year.

Whether registering individually or as part of their junior and youth class associations or sailing club teams, this is the perfect opportunity to showcase their skills and engage in friendly competition.

With a maximum of 24 youth and 48 junior teams, the championships promise an exciting racing calendar highlight.

Unlike traditional fleet racing regattas, this event features groups of young sailors sharing RS Feva and Firefly dinghies, executing on-water changeovers in thrilling three-on-three competitions in Fireflies for the youth category, and two-on-two contests in Fevas for the junior category.

To ensure a more suitable level of competition, this year’s championships will also introduce age-group categories. The Youth category in Fireflies is for those under 19, while the Junior category in Fevas will be split into U17 and U15. However, U17 participants can still opt to compete in the Youth fleet and under 15s have the chance to sail with 15- or 16-year-olds in the U17 Junior fleet.

Sign-ups will be opening soon. For further details get in touch with [email protected].

Published in Team Racing, Youth Sailing

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.