Dinghy development: Schoolboy error...

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Schoolboy error...

Printed From: Yachts and Yachting Online
Category: Dinghy classes
Forum Name: Dinghy development
Forum Discription: The latest moves in the dinghy market
URL: http://www.yachtsandyachting.com/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=3525
Printed Date: 12 Nov 25 at 4:49am
Software Version: Web Wiz Forums 9.665y - http://www.webwizforums.com

Topic: Schoolboy error...

Posted By: Chew my RS
Subject: Schoolboy error...
Date Posted: 25 Oct 07 at 7:16am

At the recent RYA National Ranking event http://www.yachtsandyachting.com/news/?article=138902 - http://www.yachtsandyachting.com/news/?article=138902 , GBR's Olympic windsurfer Nick Dempsey failed to win because he was disqualified from the last two races - for not wearing a buoyancy aid. I know many windsurfers don't wear them, but it was clearly a requirement of the rules. I hope he doesn't make such a simple mistake next year!

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http://www.sailns14.org - http://www.sailns14.org - The ultimate family raceboat now available in the UK

Replies:

Posted By: Roy Race
Date Posted: 25 Oct 07 at 9:22am

Don't worry, I think they'll all read the sailing instructions at the Olympics!

Posted By: winging it
Date Posted: 25 Oct 07 at 9:26am

In the last race of the 1988 trials for the Seoul games one of the leaders tied her sail to the top of the mast because of a fraying halyard- strictly against 470 rules - she was spotted turning the boat on its side to lower the sail when she came ashore - thinking she was off to the Olympics - the opposition protested her and suddenly they went not her...

easily done in the heat of the moment?

Posted By: Matt Jackson
Date Posted: 29 Oct 07 at 12:56pm

I'd say that was justification for not choosing the winner of a trials but selecting the most promising. If you had a choice of breaking a class rule (which has no bearing whatsoever on perfomance) or not sailing what are you going to do?

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Laser 203001, Harrier (H+) 36

Posted By: Graeme
Date Posted: 29 Oct 07 at 4:20pm

These are 'professional' sailors, being funded .......no excuses for not preparing at that level.

If I was a potential sponsor or considering becoming I'd be thinking hard about my investment.

Posted By: winging it
Date Posted: 29 Oct 07 at 5:18pm

Originally posted by Graeme

These are 'professional' sailors, being funded .......no excuses for not preparing at that level.

If I was a potential sponsor or considering becoming I'd be thinking hard about my investment.

Not in the 1988 example I quoted. That was well before lottery funding when most sailors campaigned on an absolute shoestring, mostly using their own money.

But to agree with Contender 541, yes, it did actually show the failings of the 'first past the post' selection system. In that Olympic cycle we had both male and female world champions in the 470 class, both of whom had also performed exceptionally well in the pre-olympic regatta. Unfortunately, in the trials in Weymouth bay neither pair were selected.

In the case of the men, Jason Belben and Andy Hemmings had trained and trained at Weymouth so knew the sailing conditions inside out. They went to Pusan and did not excel, nor did the female pairing of Sue Hay and Debbie Jarvis, who beat Cathy Foster and Jackie Patten (sp?) because of the tied halyard protest.

The RYA stuck by their selection system,.