Women At The Helm Draws 18 Teams To Dún Laoghaire

12th February 2026

Afloat.ie Team

Helm Power — Trinity’s TCD Lavender celebrate victory at the Women at the Helm regatta in Dún Laoghaire Harbour after securing a 3–0 final win over UCD at the Royal St George Yacht Club

Another milestone has been marked in collegiate sailing. On 7 February, Trinity Sailing hosted the second annual Women at the Helm (WATH) regatta in Dún Laoghaire Harbour, racing from the Royal St George Yacht Club.

Eighteen teams competed, made up of current students and alumni from across Ireland.

Racing took place in sunshine and a steady moderate breeze. More than 60 races were completed under the direction of Principal Race Officer David Bolger.

Shore Shuffle — Student and alumni teams gather ashore at the Royal St George Yacht Club in Dún Laoghaire Harbour as crews prepare to rotate during the Women at the Helm regatta

The initiative was founded in 2024 by Trinity Sailing committee members Tim Norwood and Adam Leddy (24/25). It aims to support the development of women helms in Irish sailing.

Support came from Irish businesses, including CH Marine, Boss Stop and Bóbó’s Burgers, which provided raffle prizes presented at the Royal St George following prizegiving.

The day concluded with a best-of-five final between two current student teams, UCD and Trinity.

Trinity’s TCD Lavender secured a 3–0 victory. The result followed the TCD First Team’s recent win at the Oxford Top Gun.

With its second edition complete, Trinity Sailing says the Women at the Helm continues to build momentum on the collegiate sailing calendar.

Published in Team Racing, RStGYC

Published in Team Racing

Tagged under

Women at the Helm

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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.