GSC Event 1

Last weekend SoPYC hosted the first of our GSC signature events for 2022/23 season and from all reports and feedback I received, we hit the mark of having a quality sailor-friendly event.

Congratulations to everyone involved. The racing was hard and fair with great courses and the on and off-shore organisation was superb including the Galley food, bean bags and Mexican.

For sailors that achieved their goals, well done. For those that didn’t, there are plenty more regattas for you.

Coach Tips & Key Points

The conditions were reasonably strong with gusts to 24 knots according to Les, so foremost boats had to be setup for those conditions. We had very few repairs so well done in that area. Maintenance and having boats strong and then moving onto strong wind settings was essential.

The breeze was also often very shifty and up and down on pressure, so picking a good strategy was a key point. It was a difficult weekend to get everything right and sail the perfect race. It was a matter of balancing risk and often giving up a lead to be in the next most beneficial gust of wind direction influence on the course.

As the racing continued and strategies become more refined, speed and technique came into play. Fitness always helps towards the end of the regatta and the fitness and skills developed in training help.

A big congratulations to some of our new sailors who competed in their first regatta and are really embracing the opportunity to learn and improve.