Royal St. George's 'Elmo' Team Racing Trophy Looks to Expand to 32 Teams with Six Flights This August

26th July 2023

Afloat.ie Team

A mark trap at last year's Elmo Team Racing Trophy at the Royal Saint George Yacht Club in Dun Laoghaire Harbour, on Dublin Bay. This year's edition will run from August 26th and 27th. Entries are open now

Entries are building to Ireland’s biggest team racing event, the Elmo Trophy, held at the Royal Saint George Yacht Club in Dun Laoghaire Harbour, on Dublin Bay.

This year’s event, which will be held on August 26th and 27th, will feature 32 youth teams from around the country, enabling 192 sailors to compete for the trophy.

Six flights of Firefly dinghies will be provided for competitors meaning that there will be 36 brightly coloured dinghies racing around the starboard ‘S-shaped course over the weekend.

Waiting to team race in Firefly dinghies at the Royal St. George Yacht Club Elmo Trophy in Dun Laoghaire Harbour

This year’s event will see a Swiss league format being used, where teams of equal standards will race, with the results of each race determining what teams race in the next round. An innovative computer programme will carefully manage this process supplied by West Kirby Sailing Club, which has been crafting and refining its efficiency over many years at the Wilson Trophy.

Firefly dinghies prepare for a start at the Royal St. George Yacht Club Elmo Trophy in Dun Laoghaire Harbour

The new competitor bib design for this August's Elmo Trophy team racing event at the Royal Saint George Yacht Club

As always, the event dinner will take place on Saturday night, where over 200 hungry sailors and volunteers will be fed, with the club's dining room and upper decks overflowing with tales of mark traps and conversions from the day's racing.

Elmo Trophy competitors waiting for a changeover at Dun Laoghaire Harbour

One hundred twenty-eight races is the target for Saturday.

With entries closing on August 18th, interested teams can enter here

Published in Team Racing, RStGYC

Published in Team Racing

Tagged under

Elmo Trophy

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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.