Team Racing
Team Racing at Spinnaker
Spinnaker Sailing Club is one of the best-known clubs in the UK for hosting and running team racing events. We have our own fleet of Firefly dinghies for adult and youth team racing and a fleet of Fevas for Junior Team Racing. Our Fireflies are in two matched flights of 6 boats, whilst we have 6 Fevas.
Team Racing is between two teams normally of three boats each (in the UK) against each other, although pairs team racing (2-boat teams) is becoming very popular and the Optimist Class regularly runs 4-boat team events. The aim of the race is to ensure your team wins the race either by speed or by slowing the opposition down to allow your team mate(s) to overtake. The race is won or lost by a team, so just because your boat crossed the line first, it doesn't mean your team will win. This means team work and tactics are prioritised over outright boat speed, although being fast is still a huge help.
Why do team racing?
Team Racing emphasises tactical skill, boat handling and knowledge of the racing rules and can be fast and exciting to watch. Races tend to be short and sharp lasting 10 minutes or less and there may be more than 100 races sailed in a day in a team racing eventIt is the standard form of competition for Universities and many schools because it requires only six evenly matched boats which means boats do not need to be trailed to events. At Spinnaker we are pleased to have Southampton University, Bournemouth University, and Winchester College as affiliated members. Meanwhile our Team Racing Open events and events for Universities and the British Schools Dinghy Racing Association are run at Spinnaker each year.Spinnaker also runs its own random pairs team racing open meeting each year. If you have a Firefly and a crew, you turn up on the day and race each race with a randomly chosen team mate and randomly chosen opposition. In 2018 we were proud to have two of the British Olympic Team from Rio competing.
Last updated 15:50 on 12 January 2025