Starting

Former Etchells World Champion and America's Cup bowman Nik Pearson reveals his favourite (and almost foolproof) technique for making sure the boat hits the start line on the B of BANG! So simple, you'll be amazed you didn't think of it yourself...

Watching Team Nika win - and dominate - the RC44 World Championship 2017 in Sweden was a lesson in strong, conservative tactics. No surprise when you learn that owner Vladimir Prosikhin had Terry Hutchinson as his tactician. Just as Torben Grael was known for going off on a flyer into the corner of the course (doing a ‘Torben’), doing a ‘Terry’ is about keeping the game tight in the centre of the course. As Terry himself says, “It’s a game of feet and inches.”

Team Tilt skipper in the GC32s and 49er Olympian Sébastien Schneiter talks through the decision-making and preparation process that leads up to getting the perfect reaching start in a high-speed multihull...

America's Cup winning skipper and former Melges 24 World Champion James Spithill talks through his philosophy on starting and the first beat. "The first thing to consider is fleet size. If you've got a big fleet you're going to go to one side whether you like it or not. If you're in a small fleet then you've got more opportunities to play the shifts...."

Holding your position is one of those skills that separates the good from the average sailors. "He's good at holding his lane," is one of those phrases you'll hear about a really talented sailor. Etchells world champion Andy Beadsworth reveals some clues to this dark art...