If you thought match racing was all about wind and sail, think again. For the Tuks sailors, winning the 2024 USSA Sailing Championships is about much more—it's about tactics and mastering the rules. Understanding the intricacies of the sport allows teams to find clever loopholes, potentially throwing off their opponents and gaining a competitive edge.

Corienne Erasmus, a Tuks skipper, likens the regatta to a chess game on water, especially when facing formidable rivals like Maties or Ikeys on the Theewaterskloof Dam this December. It’s not just about sailing; it’s about outsmarting the competition at every turn.

"UCT and Maties are very well versed in the rules. They always have a trick up their sleeve, which means they will counter any strategy used against them to slip away."

Ikeys are the defending USSA champions.

According to Erasmus, match racing is all about getting one of your three boats off to a good start. 

"If you can get a "rabbit or runner" out in front, the race is half won. The strategy of the other two boats will then be to stall your opponent's boats. If one of your boats wins and the other two finish in the top four, you win the race. It is all about having the fewest points."

Erasmus, a final-year BSc Geoinformatics student, has an interesting story about how she became hooked on sailing. 

"It all started when my mom saw a sailing advertisement in a newspaper. She thought it would be a good idea for me to give sailing a go. At that stage, I was in Grade Eight and had no idea what sailing was about. On my first day, I was thrown into the deep end. It was like getting on the boat. Get into the water. You will figure it out. I absolutely loved it. Sailing was a completely new challenge to me."

While competing in the Hunter Class, Erasmus raked in the provincial and national regatta titles. 

Asked what she loves about sailing, Erasmus answered, saying many have a misperception of what sailing is about. 

"People have this idyllic idea of sailing about sitting on a boat on the water drinking champagne. Moving from one point to another. Sailing is about so much more. 

"As a sailor, I got immersed in a whole new world. I was forced to learn skills that I thought I would never need. For example, I never thought I would be able to tie as many different knots as I could. I have become versed in reading weather maps to see how pressure systems will affect the wind. 

"There are actually so many little things you have to know. Sailing is actually like any other sport. You will do well if you know the game and all the tips and tricks."