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| Home >> Top Tips >> TopTip2020 #40 - Write Down the Course! - Mark Riddington, GBR |
I am so guilty of this. Did it at the worlds in the UK when leading the second or third race. Headed to wrong mark and finished 4th. Sailed wrong course earlier this year at a Florida regatta. Such a novice mistake. I’M OLD. Need to write it down. I like the tape idea
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08/05/2020 03:06:00
Hank
Posts: 3
TopTip2020 #40 - Write Down the Course! - by Mark Riddington, GBR
Mark Riddington of Emsworth Slipper SC is our UK Class Measurer. He explains how it can take more than hard hiking and speed to win a sailing race - although it helps! Sometimes experience of the 101 ways to lose and how to avoid those can pay dividends and win championship races!
' Write Down the Course!
At the 2019 UK Inland Championships, a couple of the younger sailors scoffed as I wrote the courses on tape on my boom, remarking that failing memory must be a trial for the older sailor.
In the fourth race that day, I rounded the windward mark in 8th, just behind Karl Thorne in 7th. Karl and I watched the first six boats elect to sail a run rather than reach – a quick glance at the boom and I could confidently separate from the leaders, sail direct to the next mark, taking 6 places in doing so. That simple act of writing down the course secured my first race win at a national event - without the certainty from the written down course, I’m not sure I would have had the confidence to separate, so I recommend it! I should point out, the leading boats were hailed in a friendly manner!
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Mark Riddington of Emsworth Slipper SC is our UK Class Measurer. He explains how it can take more than hard hiking and speed to win a sailing race - although it helps! Sometimes experience of the 101 ways to lose and how to avoid those can pay dividends and win championship races!
' Write Down the Course!
At the 2019 UK Inland Championships, a couple of the younger sailors scoffed as I wrote the courses on tape on my boom, remarking that failing memory must be a trial for the older sailor.
In the fourth race that day, I rounded the windward mark in 8th, just behind Karl Thorne in 7th. Karl and I watched the first six boats elect to sail a run rather than reach – a quick glance at the boom and I could confidently separate from the leaders, sail direct to the next mark, taking 6 places in doing so. That simple act of writing down the course secured my first race win at a national event - without the certainty from the written down course, I’m not sure I would have had the confidence to separate, so I recommend it! I should point out, the leading boats were hailed in a friendly manner!
Mark, GBR '
Photo; The moment Mark (right, 2553) in 8th rounds onto a reach to gain 6 places and takes the Championship race win! You can see the white tape with his course on the boom.
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07/05/2020 23:58:00
Peter Barton
Posts: 4678
