levels of compitition

J

jay_lord_hawk

New Member
I've got a regatta coming up this Sunday, and I still haven't decided which fleet I am going to sail in. There will be three fleets, 'A' being the most advanced, 'B' in the middle, and 'C', the beginners. I've mostly sailed as a C fleeter, and I have won a major regatta as a C, but my parents and friends suggest either being a B or A because I've learned so much over the summer. Can anyone suggest what I should do? I'm thinking about sailing in B's but should I just try A's and get the most out of it? Any ideas would be most appreciated.
Thanks
 
Regattas where competitors have to choose which level of fleet they sail in are IMHO the most stupid idea in sailing.

My advice is to avoid these anal retentive people with their A, B and C rankings and go find a regatta where everybody races as one fleet and if you come 40th out of 60 then hey that's what you did and you won't spend all winter wondering if that means you should really have chosen to be a C and get a crummy trophy instead of being the last B and being miserable about it or perhaps you should have been an A so you could race with the good guys and maybe learn something from them.
 
jay_lord_hawk said:
Any ideas would be most appreciated.
Thanks
Click to expand...

Do you know anyone in either the A or B fleet? Maybe you could talk to them to try to gauge how tough it will be in either fleet. If not, I'd go to the top where you stand a chance to learn the most--and a little defeat builds character!

Merrily
 
Sounds like the system the Optis use. In that system, I believe, once you place in the top 3 of a regatta, you have to move into a higher division. I like the idea of the divisions for young sailors, whether it's age or skill based. I think it helps to keep everyone's enthusisiam levels high and lets them progress on their own timetable. I think sailing all in one fleet leads to the younger/less experience kids dropping out of sailing, not just because they aren't competitive, but because they aren't having fun either.

I'm not sure I would be a whole lot of stock in the suggestions you get here since nobody knows your abilities, but I would think your parents would have a good understanding as well as your sailing friends.

FWIW, if it were me and I had to decide, I would pick the one where I was going to have the most fun (how you define fun is up to you)


Best wishes and fair winds whatever you decide to do.
 
i suggest going for b and maybe a because a challenge is good. if you think you are going to win the c's that would be great to get a win but not winning and being challenged shows you what you need to work on.
 
never sailed in a system like that before. There is an A and B fleet in college, but that's quite different.

If you did well in C, you owe it to yourself to move up to B. You won't learn anymore in C if you are at the top. Go to B, work hard, and get to the top of that group. Lather, rinse, repeat. :)
 
Thanks for all your advice... I sail US Sabots which are similar to opti's, but in my opinion, better! I agree that I should challange myself and most of my friends agree that I should sail in B's.
Anymore comments would be appreciated
Thanks
 
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