Optimist Teams Racing South Island Champs staged on Charteris Bay

by Brian Haybittle on 5 Feb 2011
14 sailors from around New Zealand came to Charteris Bay, Lyttelton Harbour for the inaugural South Island Teams racing clinic and Champs. It was 15 year old Jay-vee Buchanan's idea to run the Clinic. He wrote the Notice of Race and Sailing Instructions. His dad, Winton, managed shore logistics.

Three South Island resident Argentians, Manuel Bologna, Agustin Zappacosta and Guillermo Gallacher coached. International Judge, Ross May, helped during one day regatta on the final day. Jay-vee’s ideas were to 'Improve the South Island Opti sailors Teams Racing Skills. This in turn would help the Kiwi teams racing team fare better at the Worlds when they attend.'

Optimist Teams racing is a popular form of yacht racing As opposed to fleet racing where boats are scored on an individual basis, teams of four Optis compete against each other. As in fleet racing the low point scoring system is used. A boat is awarded points based on the place it finishes a race. For example a boat that finishes first earns 1 point, a boat that finishes second earns 2 points, etc. In teams racing the winning team is decided by adding together the places of all the boats in each team. The team with the fewest points win. I.E. 18 or less points

Two days training were held in steadily increasing winds. The daily routine was 45 minute briefing on rules and tactics followed by some 1 vs 1 and 2 vs 2. The coaches then made 4 boat teams for the afternoon. Video debriefing finished the day. Each team briefed their tactics of such as:'You slowest two finish ASAP and us two better sailors will help you out or We’ll cover so and so while you finish and then we’ll get to the finish. The coaches overall tactics were if your team is winning - finish. Or if your team is in a losing position don’t finish and try and slow opposition until you are winning.


Manuel Bologna said 'It was great to have sailors from a variety of clubs including 4 North Islanders. It increased the seriousness of each sailor. They all gave their best. The speed of learning increased.' It was also important that the sailors learnt that 'You must win. There are no draws. Teamwork is very important.'

Friday was Regatta day. The coaches selected 3 teams on equal ability. Most teams had 2 or 3 experienced opti sailors mixed with 1 or 2 younger members. On paper the teams looked even. The blustery North Easter of 15-25 kts tested everyones boat handling. Those that couldn’t handle it usually had a nose dive or capsise. 5-15 knts would have been ideal. International Judge Ross May was impressed with how most handled the 'vigorous conditions' and was impressed with the quality of Teams Racing. He was wanting to see some Opti Teams Racing in action and commented how challenging it will be to judge good teams as there is so much going on.

Team Green Extremes first race included a funny moment. Their tactics were for their youngest sailor, 10 year old Carmen Haybittle to go for speed and finish ASAP. The other three members were to Teams Race the opposition down the placings. Carmen quickly used her heavy air skills to get into the lead. After the top reach she accidently headed downwind to the wrong mark. When she realised her mistake she kept her cool. She saw the rest of the fleet were following her so she continued. At the bottom mark she quickly told her team ‘Wrong mark! Wrong mark!’ and then proceeded to tack back to the right mark. The other team was confused. In the melee her team all went back to the correct mark and managed to get the jump on the opposition and won the first race of the day. The race had started with their team in 1-4-6-8 and then won 1-2-3-5.

As the day progressed the 25 kts gusts got the better of some sailors. Most races were won or lost on pre start penalties and less experienced sailors having trouble doing 360’s or 720’s in the heavy weather. Some ending in capsises. There were some exciting luffing battles during the race, some port starboard incidents. Attempts at mark traps were a bit ineffective as the boats had so much speed in the wind.

The Finals was a best of three races between Team Blue and Team Green Extreme.

Team Green won the first race.

The next race of the regatta saw Team Extreme Green start with a one race advantage. Team Extreme Green raced against Team Blue’s Nick Egnot-Johnson MBSC, Lola Stoddley TYPBC, Sophie Egnot-Johnson MBSC and Hamish Clark QCYC . Team Blue quickly got into a powerful position of 1-2-4-5. Unfortunately 10 year old Sophie struggled in the breeze and her pace dropped her to eighth. Nick and Hamish were in positions 1-2 and Lola from TYSBC in fifth by the bottom gate. If the race had continued like this Team Blue have won and it would have been one-all.

The Team Extreme Green quickly realised that their only chance of winning this race was to teams race Lola back to seventh. Very quickly Lola found out that four determined sailors working as a team were going to be hard to beat. On the final upwind they hunted her down, covered and drove her backwards through the fleet until she was in seventh position. Nick and Hamish were in a very tricky position in that they would lose their valuable good positions if they went back to help. In the end Team Extreme Green finished in P 3-4-5-6. Team Blue finished in 1-2-7-8. As you can see the scores both add up to 18. But as Team Extreme’s scores didn’t include first (they had worked as a team) they won the second race and clinched the series. All though it all seems complex it was very exciting to watch from the cliff top road.

‘Team Extreme Green’ made up of Travers Cole CBYC, Saree Peachey NSC, Alistair Gifford QCYC and Carmen Haybittle, NPCL/WSPBC won convincingly. They went through the round robin undefeated and won the best of three finals 2-0. Jayvee was happy to see the team celebrating their success. Team Green Extreme used some great tactics, aggressive teams racing skills, clear communication and boat handling in the windy conditions to win. An average team of sailors showed up some of NZ’s top sailors. All 14 sailors had a great time and congratulations were shared ashore. It was great to see some serious sailing on the water and then celebrations and a very enjoyable bar-be-que and camaraderie afterwards.

Carmen Haybittle of NPCL/WSPBC won a special prize for tricky moves and clear communication and sticking to team plans. Sophie Egnot-Johnson also got a special prize for guts and determination. At one stage she fell out of her boat and trouble getting back in as it was sitting so high with no water in it. Her Olympic and Americas cup Opti mum, Leslie, was fretting 'Why are the the coaches watching and filming her and not helping her?' for about 10 minutes. Turns out the coaches had asked numerous times if she needed help. Each time Sophie turned down their offers of assistance of help with. 'It’s all good! I’m alright!' Looks like she has mum’s toughness.