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Board » Flag Officers » Races » Race to Up Helly Aa 2013

Posted by
Hirilondë


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48
Registered at
2010-02-22 12:50:31
2013-01-22 12:58:35 - Race to Up Helly Aa 2013
I realize that negotiating islands can be a big part of the strategy for races but it also drastically limits who can be competitive when taken to extreme. I think this race is one where it is taken to extreme. Anyone who finds themself with work or sleep for the last possibly many hours will just have to give up. I am guessing this will become a bbq event. I can't speak for others, but unless a race has room for sleep and work via planning and DCs I can't play. I do not expect to be able to enter all races, and this will certainly be one I do not enter. But the races that are fun and competitive in my opion are the ones like The New Hebrides Slolam. Islands played a major role in strategy, as did the need to sail all points of sail. But a careful planner could find places to sleep and work.

Anyway, this is my 2¢ worth of opinion (approximately 0.016€)
Posted by
ShamrockPirate


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189
Registered at
2010-12-03 17:49:57
2013-01-26 16:42:15 - Re: Race to Up Helly Aa 2013
Hirilondë,
Agree these can be very tricky and the Top-Guns must have a special blend of coffee to allow for limited sleep. I ALWAYS seem to be at a critical juncture during the middle of the night!

That's said, some of these events stretch the talent for calculating and setting DCs which I have found challenging and rewarding. In the current Up Helly, I was on DC from just after Kinnard Head to just before Moray Firth (and had additional DCs set for the rounding that would have worked). I picked up approx 25 places while asleep.

There have been ongoing discussions about having "split fleets" with the insomniacs/maniacs in one group and the cruisers/gotta-get-some-sleep-before-the- kids-wake-up-SOLers in the other.
I am in the latter and have finally (after 2years of never missing a race) accepted the fact that I won't ever make Top10. Too much IRL gets in the way. I just enjoy the effort, challenge and community

Keep SOLing and watch for me at your stern !!

SP

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