Team Report: RSC Toppers at the NSSA Single Handed Team Racing Event

 
A team of Reading youth Topper sailors consisting of Ben, Joe and William (ably supported by their respective Dads) competed in the weekend just gone in the National School’s Sailing Assoc. single handed team racing event at the Hunts Sailing Club at St Ives in Cambridgeshire.  This was a large event consisting of 32 teams from all over the country from as far afield as Plymouth, Barry in South Wales, and Lancashire, but also including Reading’s arch rivals, Claire’s Court, coached by Reading’s very own Vice Commodore – the turncoat !
 
The weather was fine on both days with a fresh 9-11 mph breeze that picked up during both days. For the event’s size it was very well run with some 160 races sailed over 2 days, in sequences of 6 flights of boats with a constant stream of team/boat changeovers. So the boys had to get their eyes in from the get-go in terms of the sausage machine that was the start sequence.  Success came early for Reading, winning 3 out of the 6 races sailing on Saturday placing them 9th overall (and ahead of both of Claire Court’s teams !).  However, reality dawned a little on the second day of racing.  Firstly, came the news that one of the races had been recorded incorrectly, and in fact Reading had only won 2 on Saturday. Secondly, as the boys faced tougher competition they found out that team racing is about tactics, as well as sailing well.  Despite, some hard fought races frustratingly being pipped at the post a number of times, Reading couldn’t add to their overall tally of wins, and so ended the competition well down the field.  It was a learning experience for the Dads as well who had a chance to go out on the umpire boats, and pick up umpiring tips as well as some of the finer points of the racing rules – just don’t mention rule 42 to Steve, you’ll never get him off it! 
 
At the end of the day, the boys should be proud of their performance, their standard of sailing was consistently of a very high standard throughout 2 days of a fairly gruelling sailing schedule. It is a question of focusing now on the tactics to turn those sailing skills into points.
 
The NSSA and Hunts SC should be commended for staging such a large event and all the preparation necessary to make it go so smoothly. Congratulations should also go to Claire’s Court, whose 2 teams came 12th and 25th respectively.
 
 
Some video footage courtesy of the official Reading SC Team Photographer – Steve.
 
 
James Primrose
Team Manager