The first day of racing at the Team Racing World Championship in Stockholm delivered close racing, challenging tactics and a remarkable logistical operation on the water. With starts every four to five minutes and up to three races running simultaneously, there was little room for error.
The first day of racing on Riddarfjärden got off to a slow start, with light winds testing the patience of the 12 teams. But as the breeze increased, conditions improved dramatically and the racing got into full swing.
By the end of the day, the race committee had managed to complete a substantial number of races, keeping the championship on track towards its ambitious target of 140–160 races over four days.
Seconds decide the outcome
The first day produced several extremely tight battles.
A race between Great Britain and USA 2 went down to the wire, while the encounter between Great Britain and Ireland was another intense fight, with Great Britain eventually taking the win.
The Scandinavian rivalry between Sweden and Denmark was equally dramatic. The two teams repeatedly exchanged the lead before the race was finally decided on the last downwind leg.
“We had a communication mistake right at the end, and that’s why we lost,” Sofie Slotsgaard, member of the Danish team explained afterwards.
Perhaps the closest finish of the day came between Bermuda and Bahamas. Bermuda led with just ten seconds to go, but Bahamas managed to cross the finish line first by less than a second. In fact, three of the four boats crossed the line within one second of each other.
Another thrilling battle saw defending world champions USA 2 take on Great Britain. A series of close tactical situations at the final mark continued all the way to the finish, with the Americans eventually taking the win.
After an intense first day, the day ended with an extremely exciting race between the only two undefeated teams, USA 1 and USA 2, with USA 1, representing the United States, ultimately taking the win.
A racecourse that never stands still
The intensity on the water is matched by the operation behind it. The race committee, mark boats, safety crews and umpires have to coordinate continuously to keep the sequence running.
With temperatures around 25°C and winds reaching 8 m/s, with gusts of up to 18 m/s, conditions eventually became close to perfect, allowing the racing to progress at a rapid pace.
That was good news for both sailors and spectators. The race committee had initially been hoping to complete 48 races during the day, while also ensuring that the teams could make the evening’s planned sightseeing tour of Stockholm. But it became 55 in total before the racing was finished for the day.
And behind every race is a carefully choreographed operation.
With each race lasting just eight to nine minutes, a new start is required every four to five minutes. At times, three races are simultaneously on the course. The course itself is an unusual “digital M”, featuring two upwind legs, two downwind legs and three reaching legs
“It’s a course that really highlights the tactical side of team racing. There are six mark roundings, and each one presents its own tactical challenge. It creates more situations where teams can be tactically smart,” says Magnus Myrenberg, project manager for the Team Racing World Championship in Stockholm.
The six turning marks are remotely controlled, allowing the race committee to move them automatically when required. It is a high-tech solution to a very traditional sport – and one that helps keep the racing moving at an extraordinary pace.
Sustainability firmly on the agenda
GSYS has set a high sustainability ambition for the Championship, and a seminar in the Race Village brought together representatives from the City of Stockholm, Stena Recycling, Vattenresurs, Voice of the Ocean and the Port of Stockholm to discuss water quality, restoration and responsible use of water resources.
The significance is hard to miss: the championship is being sailed on Riddarfjärden, part of the same water system that ultimately supplies Stockholm with drinking water, after treatment.
Bliss
The Bledisloe Cup is a rugby union competition held annually between the Wallabies and their fierce rivals, the New Zealand All Blacks. The competition dates back to 1931, and while the All Blacks have been the more dominant team in the contest, the matches between these two nations are always highly competitive and intense.