Summer Racing Team
Many of CBI’s expert youth sailors* join our unique racing team which offers flexibility via daily practices, and chances to race both at CBI-hosted events, as well as at area sailing centers. Younger sailors may choose to get their feet wet by joining for just a couple days a week, or a couple weeks in a summer. Older, more competitive sailors often commit to a greater share of practices, and as such are rewarded with additional opportunities.
*Prerequisites are both Laser and 420 ratings or prior experience racing and ability to rig and right a 420. If your junior sailor is new to CBI but has prior racing experience, and is interested, please contact [email protected].
Racing at CBI falls broadly into four categories
CBI offers a variety of racing to both prepare sailors for the most competitive events, and provide opportunities for newer racers.
- Racing in practice is unscored, and generally part of a drill or training exercise, results are tertiary to having fun and practicing new skills
- Race Days at CBI are open to Windsurfers, Lasers, 420’s and Mercury’s, and encourage sailors to choose a teammate, rig a boat, and race with limited coaching assistance. An opportunity to put your skills to the test.
- Events hosted by CBI during JP or AP hours allow sailors to compete with members of other community boating programs in familiar settings and boats.
- Travel regattas (3-4 per year) are an opportunity to represent CBI’s Junior Program in racing at another sailing center. Racing in these is a privilege and requires additional planning and preparation as outlined below.
Due to limited resources, sailors will be chosen for regattas based on their dedication in practice, as well as for appropriate competition level.
Regattas at CBI generally offer a lower-cost and lower stress way to enjoy racing outside of the regular Junior Program rhythm. Some are hosted by the Junior Program and include other invited guests and programs. Others are hosted by Tiller Club, our Adult Program racing group and the JP Race Team is invited to participate:
- Please ask your coach or program director about Tiller Club events, including the Elmer Harris 420 Regatta listed on our calendar. Details can be found on the TC page; it generally occurs on a Sunday in the first half of July.
- Community Cup is an invite regatta in Mercuries and open to all JP members with a Mercury Red Rating. This is a great event for newer race team sailors and interested parties alike. We invite other public sailing teams from Boston, Providence, Newport, Worcester and elsewhere.
- The CBI Teams Race presented by Zim Sailing (CBITR) is a top level teams-racing event hosted at CBI with world class coaching. This event is akin to a travel event in terms of time commitment and competition level.
- Kids Sail the Stars is a CBI only invite hosted for IIT’s and other advanced JP sailors. It is more a celebration of the summer and a chance to have parents marvel at their kids skills, though racing is an important activity, followed by grillage (yum).
See team calendar for schedule.
Travel regattas run 1-3 days each, and may fall outside JP hours, and/or on weekends. Sailors wishing to compete in them must show a dedication and positive team attitude, develop skills which will allow them to compete at an appropriate level, and help prepare and transport boats to the event. Planning begins 3+ weeks in advance, with registration 2+ weeks beforehand. At that point, boat pairings should be finalized, and we can set the details of getting boats and sailors to the event (typically sailors help load/unload the boats on the trailer which is towed by CBI). Note that sailors cannot travel in a car with an instructor or staff.
This process can seem overwhelming for first-time regatta participants (and parents) so please ask lots of questions and be supportive of each other during these events. CBI offers many advantages over a typical club which requires parents transport boats and pay additional coaching and equipment fees for racers.
Regatta fees charged by host clubs apply. For those with sliding scale memberships CBI will pay a percentage of regatta fees, however members will always be responsible for at least the first $30 of the fee.
Responsibilities
The racing team enjoys a great deal of financial and administrative support from CBI, as well as from the Bemis Fund and sponsors such as Zim Sailing. As such, CBI expects that racing teamers will give back to CBI in one or more ways:
- Work as a group to fund-raise to help offset the cost of travel regattas.
- Participate in weekly maintenance projects to keep equipment ship-shape and fast.
- Volunteer as an IIT, especially during Monday First Sail.
CBI also expects Racing Team members to…
- Display exceptional behavior and act as role models for other juniors.
- Represent CBI at regattas and other travel events with similarly exemplary behavior and corinthianship.
