Team racing can be a useful training vehicle for boat handling, tactical and rules skills or it can be used to provide some variety to a sailing programme. Particularly if racing can be held within sight of the club house it can be an excellent way to bring a wide cross-section of members together for an enjoyable afternoon.

Many find that 'pairs' team racing is the best way to get started. The rules are very simple - two against two and the team whose boat finishes last loses. The boats need to be as evenly matched as possible, although racing over two legs, swapping boats, can help to even out any inequalities. The pairings can be drawn from a hat or seeded to join fast and slow sailors together a real incentive for the front and back of fleets to talk to each other!

For the more ambitious organisation or individual sailor, contact with your national authority will usually be the first steps to higher levels of competition. If not, contact ISAF.

A Team Racing training programme will be available on the ISAF Team Racing web page soon.