Big Pimpin’
No better place really than the RCNP terrace to type the opening lines to the 2016 Super Series page as the Gaastra PalmaVela reaches its conclusion with nine TP52s competing.
The influence of the 52 Super Series with its mainly windward-leeward courses means that today’s TP52s are all honed to be able to sail upwind in a very efficient high mode. With up to eight boats racing, plus a bit of luck and an even racecourse, you can still find clear lanes on a two-mile beat in a less specialised upwind mode… but not with 10 or more boats. So the success of the 52 Super Series in a way adds an extra limit to our TP52 box rule.
It is, however, amazing how much you can optimise within what at first sight is a tight set of constraints. Competition and stress go hand in hand: positive stress in the sense of a welcome challenge helps to focus and enjoy the game where negative stress gets in the way of performing and, possibly worse, of having a good time. The event organiser cannot do much to control the stress on the water other than provide a fair playing field, but for sure we can try to provide stress relief ashore.
Read on.
