Video of the week

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.

 

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

There are very few 'uni only' events, its just that most of the events are put on by universities and are mainly attended by uni teams. However most events will have adult teams, often these are 'old boys' teams but not always. For instance the London 6 Pack had non or old boy teams. Have a look at http://www.busa.co.uk/calendar.php for the events that are going on, their mostly in oct-dec and jan-march so next years (uni year that is) wont be up yet.