Shanahan Cup to Return for 2024/25 Academic Year

28th May 2024

Afloat.ie Team

11 teams from St Andrews College, CBC Monkstown, Gonzaga College, Holy Child Killiney, St. Conleth’s and Willow Park 1st Years were on the water, with a total of 66 sailors taking part in a combined Round Robin and League format in the 2023 Shanahan Cup at Dun Laoghaire

The Shanahan Cup is set to return in an enlarged format for the 2024/25 winter season. The event, organised by Gonzaga College and the INSS and sponsored by the Shanahan family, is a team racing series open to all schools in the Dublin area.

Last year, twelve schools participated in three one-day events. For the coming season, the series has been expanded to four one-day events, with an earlier start date soon after the commencement of the school year. This will hopefully ensure that the competitors sail in warmer weather and avoid, as far as possible, the frigid days of early spring.

“The Shanahan Cup is all about friendly inclusive competition” said Fiachra Etchingham of Gonzaga College. “Students of all ages and abilities are encouraged to participate. The winners will inevitably be great sailors who have developed their skills through training, but we encourage less skilled students not to be put off by the level of competition. We are very flexible on the makeup of teams, allowing schools to combine and change crews to maximise participation. Irrespective of the result, the aim is that all participants represent their schools to the best of their ability, have fun and make friends”.

The organisers try and work with the schools’ calendar to minimise conflict with other sports or academic events and so the precise dates will not be set until later in the year. However, it is intended to hold the first event in September and to complete much of the competition before Christmas.

“Gonzaga College is very grateful for the involvement of the INSS in this event” said Etchingham. “The highly professional staff ensure that each event runs smoothly and efficiently and so facilitates the growth of schools’ team racing”.

Published in Team Racing, INSS

Published in Team Racing

Tagged under

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.