Video of the week

 

Don't get me wrong - I do like team racing, but if normal races are hard to explain to the viewing public, then team racing would be even more difficult

It brings out a whole new raft of skills, many of which can transfer into normal racing - such as starting, finding a lane, keeping other boats under control, avoiding getting trapped on approaches to marks and of course rule awareness - especially how to use them to gain advantage etc.

 

If you don't  believe any of this is important / transferable - think back to Ainslies first gold medal and that final race. Team / match tactics all the way.

 

I once did a Laser European Team event. The brit Laser team ( a team made up from my home club, not the top 3 in the uk fleet) were mostly 'good open sailors' and actually not at all exceptional team racers when compared to a good university team. But we were streets ahead of most of the europeans - who did send their best 3 ' international level' sailors. Almost all were individually faster than us but none of them sailed as a Team.

We just applied Team racing tactics while they mostly tried to sail fast.   So unless they got away from the start with a clear 1, 2 we slaughtered them!

 

There should be more teams events for non-uni teams - perhaps inter-club, and it would make a great Olympic event.