ITRA 2K Team Racing Easterns Set For Dún Laoghaire

20th February 2026

Afloat.ie Team

Harbour Hustle — J80s line up in Dún Laoghaire Harbour as teams contest the ITRA 2 vs 2 Nationals, the Irish qualifier for the 2025 World Sailing Team Racing World Championships in Sweden.

The Irish Team Racing Association (ITRA) opens its 2026 season this weekend with the 2 vs 2 Team Racing Easterns at the Royal St. George Yacht Club in Dún Laoghaire.

Racing takes place in J80s on Saturday 21 and Sunday 22 February in Dún Laoghaire Harbour.

The event doubles as Ireland’s qualifier for the World Sailing Team Racing World Championships in Sweden this August.

It is the second year ITRA has staged the 2 vs 2 format following World Sailing’s decision to run the Open Team Racing World Championships in that configuration.

Last summer, Fionn Lyden and Mark Hassett of Baltimore Sailing Club secured third place at the World Sailing Team Racing World Championships at New York Yacht Club in Newport, Rhode Island.

Six teams will contest this weekend’s title. They are helmed by Tom Coulter and TC Mulvenna; Fiona Lyden and Mark Hassett; Noah McCarthy-Fisher and Peter Fagan; Jack Fahy and Toby Hudson-Fowler; Tom Higgins and Micheal O’Suilleabhain; and Daniel Copithorne and Russell Bolger.

Defending champions Tom Higgins and Jack Fahy have opted to compete on separate teams this year.

Each team must include three female crew members. The team that qualifies for Sweden must retain at least one skipper from this weekend’s line-up, with 50 per cent of the crew unchanged.

ITRA says the 2 vs 2 format provides Irish sailors with further opportunity to compete at international level as team racing continues to expand nationally.

Published in Team Racing, J80, RStGYC

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.