Introduction to Team Racing Event 

Team racing is an exciting and sociable sailing format in which a team of sailors work together to try and establish an overall winning combination for their team over their opposition.  Team races are fast and furious and reward good starting, boat speed, boat handling, rules knowledge and team work skills.

This new initiative is for invited individuals (not teams) who will be going to university in the near future.  Invitations have been sent to top Youth Programme sailors who are already well versed in National and International fleet racing events and would like to learn some team racing skills that could be useful as medal race practice and to those who wish to get involved with university sailing.

Everyone will get the chance to helm and crew, with sailors swapping around over the course of the weekend.  It will be a mixture of boat handling, team racing rules and racing.

Event information:  Application form

Date: 11/12/13th September 2014. 

Venue: Oxford SC

Boats: Fireflies (double handers), provided by the Organisers.

Cost: £95 each, however an attendance and damage deposit of £125 is required on entry.

*Accommodation & Food: You will need to arrange your own.  Oxford SC Accommodation list or the local Travelodge is Peartree.

Provisional start/finish times are 9.30 briefing, departing by 5.30/6pm on Saturday and by 4pm on Sunday.

*Attendance deposit will be taken in full if the sailor cancels their place after 4pm on Friday 5th September.  Similarly, damage will be assessed as the responsibility of both people in the boat at the time of any incident resulting in damage. Any un-attributable damage may be taken as a proportion from all damage deposits. Full refund if the RYA cancels.

What is Team Racing?

One race typically lasts for about ten minutes but each team usually gets to do between 6 and 16 races during the weekend. Because scores are combined close boat on boat tactics can be used to slow the opposition, allowing a team mate through, to benefit your team score. Thus team racing helps to sharpen up many useful fleet racing skills and is also a great transitional step between fleet racing and match racing.

The course is usually a 'starboard S' with 2 beats, 2 reaches and a run.  There are 4 marks to go around, including the unusual starboard-hand windward mark rounding which provides for plenty of action and loads of opportunities to turn the race around. In the UK most events are sailed in Fireflys which are really well suited to the close boat on boat action. 

Umpires follow the races on the water in ribs and may award penalties to anyone who breaks the rules.  If you do break a rule, you can take a penalty by doing a 360 degree turn as soon as possible after the incident.  If you don’t do the spin, and your opposition appeals to the umpire by waving their protest flag, then the umpire will give you a 720 degree penalty turn – which is much more costly to you, and more importantly; to your team!

At University most of the competitive sailing is team racing, with a well-established circuit, and events most weekends from October through to May. Beyond the Uni circuit there are the National Championships, large international events such as the Wilson Trophy and the ISAF Team Racing World Championship which includes an U21 competition. 

How to book:  Please complete the application form and send it to Jessica Beecher. Places are limited so book early to avoid disappointment.  To find out who else is going, please email or phone Jessica.