Calling Pairs

Question 3:

3) calling pairs, especially in team racing. When you've just come off
the line, or you're half way up the first beat, what's the best way to
tell who's winning a pair?

In Team Racing it's essential to know who your man is (or who it's supposed to be) at least by late in the starting sequence. By then, boats have settled in to a geographical position on the line (regardless of what starting philosophy the opponents use; geo, aggro, mano, mix, whatever). Often opponents use a form of geo starting, covering their bases with a boat to windward, middle and leeward, making small adjustments up or down the line. Often we may have the same philosophy. In this case, it's easy to see who your man is, or whom it is supposed to be. There are times where you forgo your man to attack another, typically to spring both you and another teammate ahead. This happens when you're beating "your man" well enough to pull this off, or a switch can be made so one of your teammates takes your man (since his is further behind) so you can attack another (helping your third teammate). It can all get pretty complicated, and we're barely into the race yet BUT it really isn't that complicated if you think in simple terms.

-Simply put: You need to be winning two pairs. From there you can tool on them to bring your other teammate up. OR if your position is better, you need to be extending when you have a break away in the making. A break-away is 1,2 or 1,3 and enough distant ahead to convert to a 1,2 before other opponents get into the play.

-Simply put: First but not last. From there you can hold the 1,4,5 and search for upwind, easy, threesome while never losing the six.


Easy Answer:

1.) Off the Start: You already know who your man is off the starting line. If you don't, your boat has issues, and I have issues with that. So off the starting line you either stick with your man or you call for a switch (or break away from your man in most losing pair situations). Switches are when the complexities come a-knocking, but regardless, if the TR Captain calls for it, you do it. Off the start, the designated TR Captain is still in ear shot of everybody and they should call the play. A switch is made when a teammate ahead can gain a better controlling position on your man (which you may be in danger of losing) while either you or your other teammate is able to still control a second opponent. It's all about controlling at least two pairs and then improving upon that.

2.) Up the Beat: Usually it's easy to see who's ahead in a pair. If boats are bow even they don't tend to stay that way for too long except in the case of pinning. But in pinning it doesn't matter if bows are even, the one doing the pinning is head until such time that they are completely pinched off and the boat below can actually tack ahead. I assume the question is really in reference to "balancing pairs" When we are winning two pairs on different sides of the course it is often hard to tell what will be the lifted side, and/or side of more pressure to determine which pair is leading the other. When in doubt, it may be best to slow your opponent down, thus assuming your on the favored side. If you do this, and your teammate does the same, you can hold things in check until it becomes a little more obvious who needs to push the speed button, and more importantly, who needs to do some major slowing so as to not allow their man to get ahead of their teammate on the other side of the course. Then again, maybe it's best for both to go fast and quickly get to a position where it's obvious what pair is crossing and then make your move. We'll talk about that later. However, what I can say is you better be on the same page as your teammate because if one is on slow mode and one is speed mode and the shift comes the wrong way, you're going to be on the negative side of a quick passback.



TR Starting Definitions: My starting definitions may be a little whacked from the standard, but it doesn't matter. As long as the team is on the same page with their starting philosophy and when a shift needs to made on the fly.
Control, or adapt and control.

Geo: Geographical start with a boat at each end and one in the middle.

Aggro: Aggressive start where one, two, or often all three boats are attacking the opponent to force a mistake, drive them away from the line, and have them start behind you and hopefully other teammates. Aggro may be best when not all three boats are attacking and at lest one boat is concentrating on nailing a favored end start. Remember, first but not last, WINS! You can accomplish that right off the starting line. Ahhh, but can you hold it, can you improve upon it?

Mano: Man on Man start for all three boats. Call it Aggro if you will but in "Mano" you may not be quite as aggressive as Aggro, at least not all three boats. You pick your spots a bit more and sneak into an aggressive move as the situation dictates. Often a Mano start ends up looking like a Geo start since your man's team probably has a Geo philosophy (until/unless one of our 3 have gained a position to attack from).

Mix: A mixed-mode-method. Perhaps two boats go for the favored end while one boat goes totally Aggro on an opponent. Or two Aggro and one Geo at favored end. On two Geo, one on each end, and the other Aggro. Or say our best boatlhandling boat goes Mano on their best boatspeed boat to pull them behind while our best boatspeed boat nails the favored end and our third boats sets a pick to make sure that happens.

Brad's thoughts: I'm definitely a proponent of the mixed start. I'm very nervous of the strictly Geo start. If we make a mistake and get pinched off on two pairs, we are in deep doo-doo. Besides, where's the fun in that. Of course, if I saw us consistently nailing our fleet racing starts then perhaps I'd feel better about a pure Geo. Bur we're going to mix it up the whole race anyway (unless there's a break away) so we shouldn't be afraid of a little of it on the starting line.
I like being aggressive enough to attack at least one boat and put them behind. I like being confident enough to put two boats on the clearly favored end. I'd like to believe that even when we get off the start in a poor 2,4,5 we can turn the 2,3,5 before they turn the 1,2. And certainly if we come off the line 2,3,5 we can turn the sweet 2,3,4. Two guys at the favored should be able to come off 2,3 or obviously better. One boathandling guru should be able to go Mano and drop his man behind him, particularly if he lays low and doesn't go Aggro until later in the sequence in a surprise attack or the "Mano Man" may switch to a different opponent if they have left themselves vunerable and is ripe pickens. Hey, I still got no real problem with the Pure Geo start. Hell, it doesn't matter how you start as long as everyone leebows or rolls their man.



-Coach