How Not To Do It?

Topper Worlds sound like a nightmare...

http://www.yachtsandyachting.com/news/?article=147719

 

I'm not condoning the race management at the topper worlds, but sometimes competitors need to exercise a bit of intelligence rather than just adhering rigidly to their habits and rules. If its becoming apparent that the races are being binned due to poor start management, then the sailors need to come to a gentlemans agreement (which is probably difficult given the average age of the fleet is 14-15) and ensure that they can get in some races. If I was taking part and one or two idiots insisted on protesting the race committee to the point where the event was in serious risk of being scrapped, I'd go and have a chat and get them to chill out. The sailing club will undoubtadly be doing their best albeit not in line with our sailors expectations and some times you have to make the best of a bad situation, thats life I'm afraid!



Edited by craiggo

"If I was taking part and one or two idiots insisted on protesting the race committee to the point where the event was in serious risk of being scrapped, I'd go and have a chat and get them to chill out."

1. Nobody can protest the race committee  they can only request redress...

2. I would be careful about intervening as you propose. This could easily end up as a rule 69 hearing!

Video evidence is perfectly acceptable (but is rarely all that conclusive). anybody can be a witness, including a coach. The Protest Committee will evaluate the weight they should accord to such evidence. However, in a case involving disputed OCS video evidence may well be the only reliable evidence available. I beleive that there was a case at the Finn Gold Cup reently were the Jury had to make a trip to the local Chinese restaurant to find an interpreter to question the Chinese coach who had conclusive video evidence that a boat (British) was not OCS.

Final comment - there seems to be a growing attitude among some ROs that a fleet in which a large number of boats are OCS can be left to race if the start is in some (questionable) way "fair". Hopefully events at the Topper Worlds will nip this unfortunate trend in the bud. I would suggest that the way to deal with a fleet that cannot start properly (assuming lines are properly laid, Z and black flags used etc) would be for the RO to issue an ammendment and threaten to use a gate start.

Gordon

I understand both the arguments from Gordon and laser4000 but if you are rapidly entering a situation where a non-professional event is on the verge of being canned then surely salvaging some form of race is better than having spent £100s on a trip to Austria to take part in a nothing event?

This is probably the problem at the Topper Worlds - the PRO may not be aware of of or have experience of:

A - the frankly, highly competitive nature of the fleet

b - the level of skill that has been drummed into the kids through the fantastic coaching that is offered by the RYA & ITCA GBR Squads to hundreds of kids each year

C - the self imposed pressure that is evident when these kids get to big events - yes, they are going to push the line as far as the PRO will allow - he has to grab control if it is to succeed

D - there are plenty of Parents who are onshore, they have invested ,000's in the trip & the build up - yes, they are going to be anxious that fair play is seen to be applied - my experience is that the majority are happy to let the sailors impose their own pressure rather than be "pushy" parents

I have experience of the Topper fleet at big events in the UK over the past 2/3 years & the racing is extremely competitive yet well behaved at all levels - the fleet is generally praised by all the clubs that are lucky enough to host an event - read the reviews on Y&Y - great fun is had by all!!