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Junior Autumn Series

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  • topper junior series

    We will be extracting junior results from the Sunday afternoon (back to back) races to form a junior series.

    Autumn series for Juniors will run up to Christmas, then we'll see if there are enough takers for a winter series as well. While the water isn't too cold yet please remember you do need a full wetsuit or drysuit. Winter sailing is great fun, but not if you are too cold.

    By the way in case anyone isn't sure (and I had to ask) Junior is 18 or under.

    We have several juniors regularly competing in the Adult series - don't worry, all your results will count to both the adult and the extracted junior series. The experience from last year was that a single start worked well, but if there are lots of juniors who would prefer a separate start two minutes after the main start please let me know. I'd love to see half a dozen Toppers and Fevas fighting it out perhaps with a couple of Radials in the mix.

    With the Junior regatta next Saturday to get you all ready, the winter series starts on Sunday. Starting at the same time as the adults gets you used to bigger starts - Adults please remember to be firm but fair (and POLITE, but do explain the rules nicely after the race). It doesn't matter if there is one junior or 10 juniors - there will still be other boats to sail against and he race still counts to the juniors series. Usual rule 50% of the sailed races to count (rounded down).

    Perhaps for everyone a reminder of the most common rules that apply on the start line…

    • Windward boat must keep clear - yes the leeward boat can push you up and over the line.
    • There is no 'inside at the mark' when starting. A leeward boat does not have to let you in.
    • If you come from behind then you can only luff slowly and must give the windward boat a chance to keep clear (they must start taking avoiding action as soon as you are overlapped - they can't just sit there)

    Good examples here:

    http://game.finckh.net/situat/tit_gbr/start10_e.htm

    That's the start situations section of a really good site. To see the whole site, start from: http://game.finckh.net - you can click on the course to see situations by where they occur, or just take the quiz (Easy, Medium, Hard), or explore the rules book itself.

    Good starting technique is to be sailing slowly on starboard tack (or in some boats hovering) in control so you can accelerate or slow down. Hint - Toppers are very good at hanging on the line, but if someone comes up from leeward you have to keep clear if they have room to get there. Make sure you look around you and think what other boats are doing and don't try to sail into a space that isn't there.

    Gareth

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    JUNIOR SAILING SCHOOL

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