Recap: North Sails Trim Cup

Sailors gather in Lomma, Sweden to kick off the season

North Sails is a proud sponsor of the Trim Cup, a unique event in Lomma, Sweden with an emphasis on improvement. Sailors worked on their performance on the racecourse with training drills and personal coaching provided by North Sails experts. This year was no different than the last, making for a highly engaging training regatta, and a great way to start the sailing season off right!

A beautiful 16-22 knot breeze satisfied the fleet on Friday. Crew communication, maneuvers and starting techniques were key focuses of the day. With the help of North Sails’ Jesper Feldt and Henrik Ottosson, the race committee ran some practice starts coupled with short races for the fleet to warm up. Throughout the day, North Sails’ Chuck Allen and Charlie McKee took photos and video to review with the fleet after racing. All competitors showed great improvement in the span of the day, and awards were given to teams with the best starts and good communication, noted by experts on the water.

On Saturday morning, the North Sails team of experts collected training priorities from the fleet. First step was to drop a weather mark so boats could practice mark roundings upon arriving to the race area, with coaches Chuck and Charlie close by to provide feedback. The race committee gave the 35 boat fleet a few practice starts and some short races to warm up before an afternoon of racing. Chuck and Charlie focused in on sail trim throughout the afternoon, sharing pointers and planning a debrief of the afternoon with photo and video. Every boat was seen on camera, emphasizing their trim, weight placement, and crew communication.

On Sunday the breeze softened, giving sailors a chance to test their light air settings and crew work. North Sails experts reviewed notes and briefed sailors on the plan for the day. After three good races, Chuck and Charlie ran a short debrief on light air tacking and gybing with footage collected that day. Sailors appreciated hearing about individual techniques that worked for other members of the fleet.

Awards were given out to competitors from their host, the Lomma Yacht Club, making for a great learning and racing experience for all. A whole-hearted thanks goes out to all the volunteers who made this a wonderful, welcoming event.