The French accuse our cyclists of cheating

49.9er?

This story will please Iain Percy, who always delights in telling me that the Star is the most one-design class in the Olympics, with the 49er and other classes being far more variable than we are led to believe. Iain and I generally agree to disagree on this point, but the comments of the Danish 49er crew today lend some weight to Percy’s point of view.

This is what Danish skipper Allan Norregaard had to say when asked about the runaway performance of Nathan Outteridge and Iain Jensen: “I don’t know what they found, but they definitely managed to get really good. They are sailing really nicely here and over the last two years. There is someone talking about that they have a little bit of different boat, the Australians, but I haven’t been measuring anything on it. That’s really bad if they have. It’s supposed to be a one design (class).”

On whether there can be much optimisation within that one design:
“Well, maybe if you are good friends with one of the boat-builders it seems like you can do a little bit but I haven’t seen this so I don’t know. If it’s true I think it’s bad for the class, but I hope it’s not too much.”

On whether the Australians and New Zealanders have been faster than the Danish boat in the same wind:
“Yes, they definitely had better speed than us.”

I spoke to someone who knows the 49er class very well, and he doesn’t believe the Aussies have any discernible equipment edge over the rest of the fleet. But while there is an almost perfect split in the 20-boat fleet between Ovington and Mackay hulls, the Aussies are using a hull built by Bethwaite Design.

Has that really been the difference between the Aussies and the rest of the fleet? I choose to believe not, but the Danish comments suggest they feel otherwise.

http://www.sailjuice.com/articles/Day-10-at-the-Olympic-Regatta-Insurance-Policy-Controversy#.UCJisc9wcoM