Medal Races - poor format?

   I'm a big fan of the medal race - yes, it has seen someone in silver medal position end up sixth, but this has happened in only one of the medal races.
How can you beat the drama of the 470 men's race? Nick Rogers & Joe Glanfield were down and out after the first beat and weren't in the medal positions at all and stormed back to take silver - simply awesome!
I do think that the TV coverage needs a sidebar with live scoring / leaderboard based on current medal race positions - this way the public could see who's coming where. Surely this could be done with GPS data and a bit of software? (Mags, I'm looking at you!) 

Edited by Mark Jardine

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Mark Jardine Send Private Message Find Member's Posts Visit Member's Homepage Admin Group Joined: 12 Mar 04 Location: Milford-on-Sea, United King Online Status: Offline Posts: 1028	Post Options Post Reply Quote Mark Jardine Report Post Quote Reply Topic: Medal Races - poor format? Posted: 19 Aug 08 at 8:09pm
	I'm a big fan of the medal race - yes, it has seen someone in silver medal position end up sixth, but this has happened in only one of the medal races. How can you beat the drama of the 470 men's race? Nick Rogers & Joe Glanfield were down and out after the first beat and weren't in the medal positions at all and stormed back to take silver - simply awesome! I do think that the TV coverage needs a sidebar with live scoring / leaderboard based on current medal race positions - this way the public could see who's coming where. Surely this could be done with GPS data and a bit of software? (Mags, I'm looking at you!) Edited by Mark Jardine

Scooby_simon Send Private Message Find Member's Posts Visit Member's Homepage Really should get out more Joined: 02 Apr 04 Location: United Kingdom Online Status: Offline Posts: 2415	Post Options Post Reply Quote Scooby_simon Report Post Quote Reply Posted: 19 Aug 08 at 7:53pm
	Be interesting to see what happens in the windsurfer medal race with all 3 front runners on the same score.
	Wanna learn to Ski - PM me..

ColH Send Private Message Find Member's Posts Far too distracted from work Joined: 11 Jan 06 Location: United Kingdom Online Status: Offline Posts: 242	Post Options Post Reply Quote ColH Report Post Quote Reply Posted: 19 Aug 08 at 7:37pm
	I can't think of a better name, but I do think the term "medal race" is bad - until good ol' Bob has explained it countless times it is very easy (and reasonable) for someone to assume that it is THE race which decides the medals. I'm not sure the double points has much to do with whether, in the one last race, A bounces B over the horizon or not. Surely that's a possibility at the end of any series? Admittedly I've only been avidly watching the medal races (live), but that's largely because the wind has been better lately. Don't understand your suggestion about a 'pursuit race' at all. Make no logical sense

nutonthetiller Send Private Message Find Member's Posts Newbie Joined: 17 Aug 08 Online Status: Offline Posts: 31	Post Options Post Reply Quote nutonthetiller Report Post Quote Reply Posted: 19 Aug 08 at 7:21pm
	I wonder what the feeling on the double scoring medal races format is? It seems to have back fired and what was meant to be an exciting climax for TV turns into a rather boring meaningless race with the first boat sailing the second down the pan. The end result is that the boat that deserves silver doesn't even get a medal. The Gold medal winner comes near to last. How easy is that for non sailors to understand? Another Olympic cock-up in my view. It so far has worked out for GB but how would we all feel if a Silver Medal turns to dust for one of our boys? It would be better to have a pursuit race where the boats start in order, and so the first boat across the line wins the Gold. Now that would be so much easier to understand.