Irish Team Racing Championship 2024 at Baltimore Sailing Club
by Mark Hegarty 31 Oct 00:35 NZDT
18-20 October 2024
Baltimore Sailing Club proudly hosted the 2024 Irish Team Racing Championships, a highlight event in Ireland's team racing calendar, uniting the finest sailors from around the country for a weekend of exhilarating competition.
Set against the stunning backdrop of Baltimore, West Cork, the championships showcased both teamwork and individual skill, reinforcing Ireland's vibrant sailing tradition with over 130 races back to back over two days.
With racing starting on Friday afternoon due to bad weather, the championship brought together sailing clubs, schools, and universities in an action-packed format focused on strategy, precision, and collaboration. The event drew teams of all levels, from young up-and-coming talents to seasoned sailors, making the 2024 Irish Team Racing Championships a celebration of the sport and a showcase of emerging talent with Baltimore sailing club coming out on top to beat 24 other teams. The Baltimore Sailing Club team were; (pictured) Johnny Durcan, Trudy O'Hare, Amy Harrington, Mark Hassett, Emma Geary, and Fionn Lyden.
Baltimore Sailing Club's Commodore, Peter O'Flynn commented: "Hosting this championship reflects our commitment to fostering sailing in Ireland. The spirit of teamwork and sportsmanship displayed by all competitors has been truly inspiring, and we are honoured to have hosted the event."
The competition concluded with a set of thrilling final races, where Baltimore Sailing Club emerged as champions above the other 24 teams, demonstrating exceptional tactical skill and cohesion under pressure. There was no racing on Sunday with Storm Ashley approaching and the races were run back to back with the average race time approximately five minutes long. Awards were presented to winners back at the Sailing Club on Saturday evening.
Baltimore Sailing Club congratulates to the winners and gratitude to the Irish Sailing Association, event organizers, volunteers, and sponsors whose support made the 2024 Irish Team Racing Championships a success. The club looks forward to continuing its role as a hub for the sailing community in Ireland, inspiring both new and seasoned sailors to engage in this exciting sport.
About Baltimore Sailing Club
Baltimore Sailing Club was founded in 1956 as a summer sailing club. From its inception it has been successfully developing leisure and competitive sailing in Baltimore Harbour. The Club over the years has continued to expand and teach safe sailing skills to young people from all backgrounds. With a function room, kitchen and bar it is very active in the summer months running sailing events, courses and many social activities. Baltimore Sailing Club runs the largest sailing courses in Ireland.
Situated in West Cork on the edge of Roaringwater Bay. The clubhouse is on the pier and close to all facilities. Baltimore Harbour is a busy fishing village all year around with a regular ferry service to the many islands.
About Team Racing
Team racing in sailing is an exciting, strategy-focused format where two teams, usually with three boats each, compete to achieve the best combined score by the end of the race. Unlike fleet racing, where individual performance matters most, team racing emphasises teamwork, tactics, and boat positioning to outmanoeuvre the opposing team.
Each team typically has three boats, often two-person dinghies like the Firefly class that was sailed in this event. The boats from each team are distinguished by their unique sail colours or numbers.
Points are assigned to finishing positions, with 1 point for 1st place, 2 points for 2nd place, and so on. The team with the lowest combined score wins. The target is to achieve a "winning combination" of points. In a six-boat race (three per team), winning combinations include scores like 10 points or less for a 1-2-6 or a 2-3-5 finish.
Teams can slow down or block opposing boats, especially when in an advantageous position. A boat ahead can "cover" an opponent, manoeuvring to block the wind and slow them down.
Teams often employ manoeuvres to help slower boats catch up or pass opponents, switching positions if needed. This keeps the team in a winning configuration.
At key turning points, boats can execute mark traps, where they intentionally slow down or position themselves to block opponents, forcing them into bad turns or causing them to lose speed.
Team racing follows standard sailing rules, but with some additions tailored to team tactics. For example, a "fouling" boat (one that breaks a rule) must complete a penalty turn or even multiple turns depending on the rule violation. Penalty management is crucial as it can make or break a team's success in the race.
Constant communication is key, as team members coordinate strategies, adjust for wind shifts, and adapt to changes in the race. They signal intentions, warn of opponents' moves, and ensure every team member's position is optimized.
In short, team racing combines fast-paced sailing with strategic teamwork. While speed is essential, winning often depends more on positioning, communication, and the ability to execute effective tactics as a team.