Blackrock College Triumphs in Shanahan Cup Round Three

7th February 2025

Afloat.ie Team

Racing in the third round of the 2024 and 2025 Shanahan Cup – a series of team racing events for secondary schools hosted by the INSS and Gonzaga College at Dun Laoghaire Harbour

Blackrock College was victorious in the third round of the 2024 and 2025 Shanahan Cup – A series of team racing events for secondary schools hosted by the INSS and Gonzaga College at Dun Laoghaire Harbour.

60 sailors from 10 teams took part in 45 races in INSS RS Fevas and RS Zests with swaps managed from the INSS pontoon in the West Bite of the harbour.

Teams from St Andrew’s College, Gonzaga College, St Michael’s, Willow Park 1st Years, Blackrock College, St Gerards and CBC Monkstown participated. The spirit of the racing in the Shanahan Cup is about providing a route for schools new to team racing to take part alongside those more experienced.

Describing the event, Glyn Williams of the INSS said, “We were delighted to welcome so many teams again, both those using this as a training event for regional and national competitions as well as those who have been introducing sailors to team racing”.

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Racing was overseen by Irish Sailing Race Officials Eunice Kennedy and Ailbe Millerick. In keeping with the ethos of the event, both Umpires spent time with INSS Instructor Ciaran Campbell, showing him what was involved in the umpire role with a view to undertaking training later this year. This is an important part of the school’s 2025 strategy to increase racing participation levels from its junior programmes, with support from RS Sailing Ireland.

The winning team from Blackrock College consisted of Guy Smith, James Gorman, John Healy, Daniel Moran, Maurice Nelligan and Tom Delaney. Blackrock were also victorious in the second round of the series, which took place last November. The question now is, can they get a third win?

The final instalment of the series takes place on Wednesday, 12th March, and entries are being accepted now.

Results from Round III of the 2024/2025 Shanahan Cup

Published in Team Racing, Youth Sailing, INSS

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.