Competition

There’s an inherent tension in a Laser racing fleet. Competition means bettering the other sailors, showing we’re better at least for the moment, at the sport than they are. It’s easy, and to a fair degree appropriate, to give some voice to that tension and competition – confident talk of the psyche-out variety.

But the fleets are usually made up of a wide cross section of competitors of varied degrees of experience and skill. Our relationship with our competitors will show effects weeks and months down the road. To build a fleet we all need to regulate our competitive actions, communications and attitudes to a level suitable to each individual who is less experienced than we are.

To race we need competitors. And in small fleets we need to keep everyone involved and developing. Each of us needs to adjust our tactics to the level of our competitor. I’m not talking about winning or losing races; there is no call for throwing a race to keep someone else happy. I’m talking about creating challenges for ourselves that also allow our competitors to do their best and have the most opportunities.

Years ago I was taking tennis lessons and each lesson the pro and I would play a couple of practice games. I was impressed that the pro would hit every ball directly back to me, but to alternating sides. That way I was forced to practice forehands and backhands. She always won the practice games, but I got great practice.

I asked her how she kept herself from going out of her mind with boredom and she said that her challenge was to return every shot to me so that I had the best chance to place the ball in a way she couldn’t return. And then her second challenge was to return every ball. That way I got a challenge and an opportunity that was gauged at my skill level and she got one closer to her level.

Every one of us needs to be responsible to help those less experienced improve to their level of competition. They then will be able to push us to improve. But how do we do this in club fleets where we’re not “the pro” and our competitors aren’t likely to appreciate us acting like they’re not capable of holding their own?

Some ideas:

·         Give less experienced sailors clear air and try to beat them on pure boat speed.

·         Always defer to them at marks where they’re close and try to use the opportunities their sloppiness gives you, but again don’t interfere with them.

·         Let them set up at the start and then try to find a clear lane.

·         When they make a good move let them know right away.

·         When they make a mistake, give them the room and clear air to recover.

·         Practice your riskiest moves – tricky jibes, the most hull out of the water, etc.

·         Practice steering with sails and weight placement only.

For sailors who are close to your level be very aware of how they want to interact with you. These sailors are your real opportunities to gauge your improvement and you don’t want to drive them out of the fleet by being too aggressive with your talk or tactics. How you treat them will create the fleet you sail in later this year or next.

The club fleet is the place where you get to practice all your moves, not just beating the same boats every week.

And after the racing? Answer every question and reveal every secret you used. Winning isn’t about secrets, it’s about fewer mistakes and better implementation. Give your club competitors all your secrets and see if you can still beat them. Before long you’ll be a better sailor because of them.

And if you’re not that good a sailor? Maybe try posting this on the club bulletin board and see if attitudes adjust.

Jay Livingston