The Flamank Interfleet Team Race at South Staffs Sailing Club

Team Racing at South Staffs © Tony Hotchkiss

This annual event at South Staffs took place on Saturday 23rd April. Four teams from the main classes competed for the trophy in this day of competitive and exciting racing held in the club Fireflys. With each race only lasting between 6 to 8 minutes it was all short and sharp with no one getting left behind despite the huge wind shifts that occurred from time to time during the day.

The now established Team Race course is a beat rounding to starboard onto a reach, then rounding again to starboard onto a dead run, then another reach having rounded to port and finally a beat again having rounded the mark to port. The finish line was between the box and a mark. With 4 teams there were 6 races to complete one round robin with the Lark and Firefly Teams coming out strongest. After a break for lunch a second round robin was run with the alternative boat combinations.

This type of racing is great for picking up boat control skills and gets the participants thinking of their positioning to help their team and hinder the other! With a team of 3 boats against another 3 there are only 6 boats on the race course but they can be very close together. Rule observation is critical and the on the water judge was only needed as a mediator thanks to the honesty and sportsmanship of the sailors.

After the two round robins the Lark & Firefly teams came out best to sail for a best of 3 race final. After the Larks won a close first race they then dominated the start of the second race to win the event quite easily.