• Check your boat and fix all the little things you have been ignoring. A breakdown is hard to overcome in a competitive fleet.
• The starting line is not a place to be conservative. You can pass the whole fleet at the start so be aggressive and smart at the starting line.
• Sail clean, penalties and arguments sap your energy and lose places. Even if you are in the right you are better off to avoid a collision.
• Remember a regatta is made up of many races, keep the big picture in mind and sail according to your position.
• Double-check your mast and sail setup, measure the rake, check the boom vang and outhaul adjustments. You should have a starting point recorded after a season of sailing that is the place you start your tuning.
• Get on the water early and between races. Sail the windward leg a couple of times and keep a mental note of persistent shifts, where the new wind comes from and how that changes through the day.
• Soling 1M’s do not like tight sails and pointing especially in light air. Keep the boat moving, then sail the shortest course.

There you go, the start of a winning formula.