Teaching Team Racing 2008 PowerPoint By Steve Hunt

1. Teaching Team Racing 2008 PowerPoint By Steve Hunt

2. What is Team Racing? For this presentation, team racing is 3 on 3 sailboat racing Each team consists of 3 boats The team with the lowest combined score in each race wins

3. F Digital N Course Most Team Races are Raced on the ‘Digital N’ Course S Some Digital N courses have 1 leeward mark.

4. Team Racing Essentials Think as a team: ‘Your’ race includes all three boats Communicate with your teammates If winning, sail fast. If losing, try to slow down the race. Keep your opponents in your covering zone Always try to recognize your, and your opponents, combination All three teammates should be on the line with speed at the gun

5. Winning Combinations 1,2,3 1,2,(4-6)1,3,(4-6)1,4,5 2,3,4 2,3,5

6. Strongest Winning Combinations 1,2,3 1,2,(4-6)1,3,(4-6)1,4,5 2,3,4 2,3,5

7. Strongest Winning Combinations 1,2,3 1,2,(4-6)*1,4,5 2,3,4 *The 1,4,5 is not as stable as the 1,2,3, 1,2,anything or 2,3,4, but if executed properly, it is a strong winning combination

8. Winning CombinationsA closer Look 1,2,3 1,2,anything

9. 1,2,3 - 1,2, (4-6) The best team racing teams don’t do a lot of team racing. Why? They get good starts as a team, sail fast, and get to the weather mark in a 1-2 or 1-2-3. That is your goal! I should make sure my teammate crosses this starboard opponent. 1-2-3 Perfect combo. The 3 should slow down 4,5,6 at marks to let 1-2 break away. 3 should not get passed by everyone while slowing, keep at least a 5. If 1-2 already have some separation on the fleet, 3 just sails fast. Play 1 1-2-(4-6) Very common winner. 1-2 try and sail fast keeping the 1-2. You are winning so sail fast and try not to tack too much or get caught up in any games or tacking duals that slow the race down. Balance on the upwinds and downwinds if needed to keep the 1-2. Tip: The third teammate should try and get 5th or better. That way if the 2 gets caught and passed your team will at least have a 1-4-5. Think about it. I should try to be 5th or better!

10. Notice How the Boat Below is Calling “Play 1” Why? Because “Play One” communicates what the goal is to her teammates. “Play One” is used by many teams to communicate their goal is a 1,2 (4-6) combination. The black boat on the left side of the course notices her and a teammate are probably in first and second place. If they sail smart and balance for each other they will round in a 1,2 combination. Rounding the first mark in a 1,2 is very powerful. I should make sure my teammate crosses this red opponent on starboard! Play 1 Communication Teammates should communicate so all members of the team are working towards the same goal. You are always working to be in one of the stable winning combinations. In this example, the right hand black boat will slow the starboard tack opponent near her, to make sure her teammate on port will cross. That’s team racing! I should try to be 5th or better!

11. 1,2,3 - 1,2, (4-6) 1-2-3 3 slows 4-5-6 from time to time at marks to let 1-2 break away. Don’t get passed by everyone though, keep at least a 5. No Room, Don’t go in there. Top Reach of a Digital N Course W 1-2-(4-6) Balance if needed to keep the 1-2. I need to slow this red boat so my teammate keeps the two!!

12. Winning CombinationsA closer Look 2,3,4

13. 2,3,4 The 2,3,4 is a very solid combination and takes teamwork and communication to win. 2-3-4 Balancing and helping your teammates to make sure you stay in the 2-3-4 is critical! Communicate and spread over the course to cover the 5-6. Always have the 5-6 in your zones. (i.e. Don’t let the 5 or 6 sail off to a side by themselves) Always look around to make sure you and your teammates are still ahead of the 5-6. If not, slow the person in your area to keep the 2-3-4. If you are falling back ask your teammates to balance for you! Play 2! 1-5-6 This is a tough one. 1 keeps the 1 and hopes 5 or 6 can pass the 4, putting you in a 1-4-6. The 4-6 then convert into a 4-5, giving your team a 1-4-5. As the 1, if the 2 is ahead of the pack, it’s okay to cover them to push them back as long as you keep the 1.

14. 2,3,4 The perfect 2-3-4 positioning upwind is to have your lead boat, the 2, or ‘Point’, in the middle of the course hedging towards the favored side. From the middle and ahead position they are ready to help either side if needed. Their teammates on the edges are covering the opponents on their respective sides. If a teammate needs help covering or balancing the Point will sail over to help. I can help my teammates if needed.

15. 2,3,4 Notice the perfect 2-3-4 positioning creates a pyramid shape with the lead boat of the team, the 2, sailing fast in the middle. You can look at the covering zone as an umbrella of bad air and covering zones. You keep your competitors inside the umbrella so they do not get leverage towards a side and pass you on a shift. W

16. 2,3,4 Keep your competitors inside the covering zones, the umbrella! Do not let them sail towards the outer edges of the course. If you let them get away towards an edge, they may catch a puff or shift and pass you. Do not give them leverage. W

17. 2,3,4 Tip: The best sailors in the middle position notice if one side of the course will be heavily favored, and they sail to that side to help their teammate balance. They know once a big shift shift happens one side will be ahead and the 2,3,4 will be unbalanced. To prevent being unbalanced they sail to the favored side and help slow the opponent on that side. They double up the coverage to help their 3rd teammate, on the unfavored side, catch up and remain in the 2,3,4 combination. We are on the wrong side of a big shift! We need to help our left side teammate catch up to stay ahead of this red competitor!

18. 2,3,4 On the second beat you set up the perfect 2-3-4 spread by doing the following after rounding the leeward mark (you also do this in a 1-2-3): 2 rounds and sails two-three boat lengths and tacks 3 rounds and sails to the spot 2 tacked, and tacks, taking the left side 2 then tacks back in a spot so they are not covering 3 or 4, taking the middle 4 sails straight taking the right 2 3 4

19. 2,3,4 Zones: Always keep your opponents in your covering zones! In these areas, you have your opponent safely covered as they do not have leverage to gain on a shift. You are ahead and to windward and in a great position to slow them down if needed. If you start to get in trouble with your opponent, call for help and switch if necessary. Once you switch, your teammate who is now safely covering the opponent, slows them down to get you ahead, back into a solid 2-3-4.

20. 2,3,4 Zones: Always keep your opponents in your covering zones! In this example, the 2-3-4 is not doing a good job of keeping the red 5-6 in their zones. To fix the problem, the left hand black boat should do two tacks and so should the middle black boat. Keep the opponents in your safe zones, balance for your teammates, and you will win!

21. 2,3,4 Both black boats did two tacks to achieve a solid covering position. Now they have a strong 2,3,4 again.

22. 2,3,4 Avoid ducking teammates while covering an opponent. Communicate with each other to switch instead. 2-3-4 If the opponents in the 5-6 bring the action to the middle of the course it may cause crossing situations amongst your teammates. Do not duck your teammates! Communicate with each other early about your intentions. Switch opponents if necessary. The key is to not slow down by ducking each other. The other team wants you to duck each other! Instead; you should both tack. Let’s switch! Okay, I will tack! In this example, the two black boats should switch by each tacking. By tacking they are staying in their zones and switching opponents. They do this instead of ducking each other and it keeps them solidly ahead.

23. 2,3,4 Avoid ducking teammates while covering an opponent. Communicate with each other to switch instead. Why not duck a teammate? Notice how the left most black boat ducks his teammate and loses a good cover on the opponent behind him. Click through the slides for Animation

24. 2,3,4 Avoid ducking teammates while covering an opponent. Communicate with each other to switch instead.

25. 2,3,4 Avoid ducking teammates while covering an opponent. Communicate with each other to switch instead.

26. 2,3,4 Avoid ducking teammates while covering an opponent. Communicate with each other to switch instead.

27. 2,3,4 Avoid ducking teammates while covering an opponent. Communicate with each other to switch instead.

28. 2,3,4 Avoid ducking teammates while covering an opponent. Communicate with each other to switch instead.

29. 2,3,4 Avoid ducking teammates while covering an opponent. Communicate with each other to switch instead.

30. 2,3,4 Avoid ducking teammates while covering an opponent. Communicate with each other to switch instead.

31. 2,3,4 Avoid ducking teammates while covering an opponent. Communicate with each other to switch instead.

32. 2,3,4 Avoid ducking teammates while covering an opponent. Communicate with each other to switch instead. The circled red boat now has a great lane and is pinning the black boat, that ducked, from tacking.

33. 2,3,4 Avoid ducking teammates while covering an opponent. Communicate with each other to switch instead. The circled red boat now has a great lane and is pinning the boat the black boat, that ducked, from tacking.

34. 2,3,4 Avoid ducking teammates while covering an opponent. Communicate with each other to switch instead. The left most black boat and middle black boat switch in this situation. Click through the slides for Animation

35. 2,3,4 Avoid ducking teammates while covering an opponent. Communicate with each other to switch instead.

36. 2,3,4 Avoid ducking teammates while covering an opponent. Communicate with each other to switch instead.

37. 2,3,4 Avoid ducking teammates while covering an opponent. Communicate with each other to switch instead.

38. 2,3,4 Avoid ducking teammates while covering an opponent. Communicate with each other to switch instead.

39. 2,3,4 Avoid ducking teammates while covering an opponent. Communicate with each other to switch instead.

40. 2,3,4 Avoid ducking teammates while covering an opponent. Communicate with each other to switch instead.

41. 2,3,4 Avoid ducking teammates while covering an opponent. Communicate with each other to switch instead.

42. 2,3,4 Avoid ducking teammates while covering an opponent. Communicate with each other to switch instead.

43. 2,3,4 Avoid ducking teammates while covering an opponent. Communicate with each other to switch instead.

44. 2,3,4 Avoid ducking teammates while covering an opponent. Communicate with each other to switch instead. The circled red boat never has a lane.

45. Watch That Again!

46. 2,3,4 Avoid ducking teammates.

47. 2,3,4 Avoid ducking teammates.

48. 2,3,4 Avoid ducking teammates.

49. 2,3,4 Avoid ducking teammates.

50. 2,3,4 Avoid ducking teammates.