Royal Hospital School Shine at Inaugural Fastnet Trophy in West Cork

8th April 2025

Afloat.ie Team

Young sailors compete fiercely for the Fastnet Trophy in Schull, West Cork, showcasing skill and teamwork in an action-packed weekend of TR3.6 dinghy racing despite challenging weather conditions

More than 100 young sailors descended on Schull, West Cork last weekend for the inaugural Fastnet Trophy, which was organised by Schull Community College Sailing Club in conjunction with Irish Sailing and hosted by the Fastnet Marine Outdoor Education Centre. With teams travelling from as far afield as Cape Cod, Massachusetts and Suffolk in England, the event marks a new highlight in the youth team racing calendar.

The Schools National Team Racing Championships were incorporated into the event under the auspices of the Irish Team Racing Association, which added greatly to the sense of occasion of what was a hugely successful weekend.

After two windy, action-packed days on the water, the RHS Blue team from the Royal Hospital School in Suffolk emerged victorious, claiming the Fastnet Trophy impressively.

Local teams Schull Sharks and Schull Seals sailed their way to second and third places, respectively, ensuring strong home representation on the Fastnet Trophy podium and clinching the national team racing title. This is the second consecutive year that Schull Sharks have claimed the National team racing title for the Mizen school. The SCC team consisted of Ryan O'Driscoll, Lucy Copithorne, Daniel Copithorne, Heidi Hogan, Dylan O'Driscoll and Aidan O'Reilly. Schull Seals, the Munster champions, came a close second.

St Andrews College won the Silver Fleet, with Crosshaven and Bandon Baddies claiming second and third in this fleet.

Despite very blustery conditions on Friday, the event got off to a flying start, with a remarkable 120 races completed by sundown.

Each team completed 15 races on Friday alone, showcasing the event's smooth running and the teams' stamina. Saturday's racing was called off due to strong winds, but spirits remained high as sailors, coaches, and supporters gathered for a dinner hosted at Schull Community College. Conditions eased enough on Sunday for racing to resume, and another 56 races were completed in competitive style.

Published in Team Racing, Youth Sailing, West Cork

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.