TEAM PROFILE
SECOND SIGHT
Earlier this year a team from Great Britain found glory at the Blind Match Racing World Championships in Perth. Match Racing 360° chats to their star skipper Vicki Sheen
MR360°: Hi Vicki. Can you tell us a bit about what blind match racing is? VS: It is exactly the same as mainstream match racing except that the crew of the boat are blind. The skipper must be classified totally blind, while the other two may have some residual vision. On each boat there is also a sighted observer whose role it is to call possible collisions, they don’t participate in the actual race at all.
MR360°: How do you navigate the course? VS: Blind match racing is raced on a windward/leeward course and there’s a system of audio buoys. The start line has buoys at each end which both emit very loud, differing sound signals. They’re switched on and off depending on the stage of the race. The boats themselves emit a sound too, and the sound changes as to which tack or gybe you are on.
MR360°: Why is match racing so good for visually impaired people? VS: It is ideal because you only have to focus on the noise of one other boat. If you were watching from a distance you wouldn’t know it was blind match racing. The contact, the manoeuvres, the handling of the boats, the tactics – they’re exactly the same as in mainstream match racing.
MR360°: How do you know when to make important tactical calls? VS: We have developed the skills to
Nick Donnini (mainsheet trimmer) Dennis Manning (headsail trimmer)
make judgements about distances on the racecourse based on the sounds that are around us, and for some of the crew members some vague glimpses of shapes or changes of light.
MR360°: How did you get into match racing? VS: About 12 years ago I went along to my local yacht club and said I’d be interested in learning to sail. I am very competitive so racing was an obvious step. From there I went to training with the Paralympic squad. Then I got into match racing and it all went from there.
Age: 49 Nationality: GBR Crew members:
VICKI SHEEN Skipper
MR360°: Tell us about the IFDS Blind Match Racing World Championships in Perth. VS: We went there as the underdogs. We had done some training with the other GB teams but Nick, Dennis and I had only raced with each other for three days. It was quite scary but we went out there thinking it would be a brilliant experience. At the end of day one we were the only team to have won all four of our races and suddenly went from being the underdogs to being very competitive. When we got through to the final and we won I couldn’t believe it – I kept asking my crew whether that really was the finish line, if they were sure we didn’t have any outstanding penalties, if that was really it.
MR360°: How did it feel to be crowned World Champions? VS: The feeling was incredible, especially as it was never where we expected to be. We had gone to the event hoping to finish around mid-fleet so to win was fantastic.
MR360°: What is next for you and your team? VS: Our total
retaining our world title. We’re hoping to bring the Worlds to the UK next year which would be amazing in an Olympic year. Possible venues at the moment include the Solent or up on the Clyde in Scotland.
intent and focus is
Sheen and team on their way to glory in Perth MATCH RACING 360° | AUGUST 2011 page | 13
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