Club Racing Formats

Originally posted by Peaky Well after 13 years of having come precisely nowhere, it ought to be apparent that I too, don't care where I finish. But that is the problem. I *should* care. Otherwise what is the point? If you don't care where you finish, you are not racing. If no-one cares about their series position, why hold a series? RS400 - you either misunderstand or misrepresent me. I do not yearn for a tacky keepsake. I want a focus, an aim to my sailing. Perhaps an Open Meeting campaign could provide that, but club sailing should be able to too. One long series ends and another starts...I think club series and events need more identity.

A club is a bunch of individuals you have chosen to join forces with. You have to take the whole package, not pick the bits you like. There are things I'd change at my club, but not at the expense of losing too many of the majority, so sometimes I have to go with the majority in order to get the good bits.
Some people want 'events with identity' others just want to know there is a race they can do at hightide any weekend they feel like turning up. Too many 'special' events and you rue the missed opportunities for a 'normal' race. Identity can work both ways, if people 'identify' with a series too heavily, they may not turn up for the latter races if they've done poorly early in the series. If it's just a race they may turn up.
I understand your thing about focus, I just don't think the results sheet is usually the best place to look for it. Personal goals or even recognising personal achievements that were not goals, can be more valuable in the long run. I've won a few trophies, which is nice recogntion of my basic competence and being there, might be nice when I'm old to point out to younger people that my name is on a cup or two (somewhere!), but the sailing I've enjoyed most in retrospect has either been to do with feeling I'm/we're improving, or the satisfaction of helping one or two less experienced helms to achieve. Much better than being on a plateau of performance, even if it's a higher one. Plus I enjoy the time on the water.
I'm not too sailing focused myself at the moment, too many other pressures, but next year I'm looking to maybe branch out, or try out some new crews, or do more crewing less helming. Maybe try and get some coaching. Maybe do a few more events. Maybe try and concentrate on one aspect of the racing, for instance try to keep up with the fast blokes instead of going a different way as much as possible. Maybe experiment more instead of being safely mid fleet?

We treat the longer series as a series (for scoring purposes) so a DNC is no in series +1 but a DNF or RAF is number of boats in race +1.

Originally posted by RS400atC Most sports the majority of people take part without the baggage of worrying about their postion in series. Do runners and mountain bikers who race get so obsessed by these issues? I've not noticed it in my work colleagues, they just seem to take part when they can and enjoy it. Most people just race for the personal challenge and don't need recognition from the club heirarchy to make it worthwhile. If you do well in one race, people respect you for that, if you come 5th in a series by counting a lot of DNS's people don't notice.

Originally posted by boatshed     Although Yellow Welly has an utter abhorrence to handicap (spreadsheet as he calls it; which is possible a better name) racing, I think it's great and really enjoy it and would be happy to see a much greater emphasis on handicap racing at clubs struggling to hold fleet racing together.

Edited by yellowwelly - 04 Dec 13 at 10:51am

Clubs need to work out what they want to achieve & incentivise members accordingly. Should the regular guy who turns out in all weathers to race and support the club in galley / bar revenue be rewarded or penalized? Consider that s/he may get results in the top few when the circuit sailors are away and be pushed down the fleet when the travelers are at home. The higher the discard percentage, the higher chance of the traveler cleaning up the booze / glassware / silver. Not much incentive for the mid-fleet regular there.
I do agree that 'qualification' sends the wrong message. If I can't 'qualify' for the series, let alone win it, why would I turn out?