Medal Race

Originally posted by Medway Maniac Originally posted by fudheid by fair do you mean fair to team GBR/... Not something you'd say if you knew me. You still (in other posts) seem to want to change the sport for the benefit of the viewer.  Above all else, I don't. Think we're just going to have agree to disagree on this one.

Originally posted by Bootscooter   Beautiful. That's exactly what i would prefer.  My mention of the non-discardable race is a consession, or a compromise to ISAFs wish for a "viewer-friendly" spectacle.

The marathon, triathalon etc don't do rounds to weed out the weaker teams. A one race final is too much of a lottery. Even that windsurfer dude didn't win every race, but he is clearly the best. You need a series to even out the elements of luck.

I still reckon the best compromise is a 9 race series with one discard, and then a single day with 4 short races that count double. So the final day is worth exactly half the result. Reduce it to the top 10 if you want, doesn't really matter. The important thing is that this way, going in to that last day EVERYONE involved is still in with a chance of a medal. It seems obvious to me that if you are racing in a medal race you should have a mathemtaical chance of winning a medal. The clue is in the name!

Originally posted by gbrspratt Originally posted by Bootscooter Nah - that's not how it works in club racing, in junior champs, national champs or anywhere.  The medal race is ultimately sh*te because it's contrived bolleaux that was meant to make thing easier to understand, but accidentally promoted defensive match racing.  Scrap it and if you must, have a non-discardable finals race.  Anything else is just meddling (lets make the dressage event more exciting, by buring a number of anti-personnel mines slightly off-line - miss your mark and there's dog food everywhere!).  Isn't the point that it is just a non-discardable final race? which is rubbish! because you can sail someone down so they get high points instead of sailing for a podium. take out the ability to match race someone to the back and then you will have a real race. turning up and calculating how much you need to screw someone else up (although can be good to watch) ISN'T going out and winning a race.  The Olympics isn't meant to make it easy. its meant to show you who the best is on the day. And if the "best" crumble due to fluky last day winds then they a clearly not the best?

Originally posted by Bootscooter Nah - that's not how it works in club racing, in junior champs, national champs or anywhere.  The medal race is ultimately sh*te because it's contrived bolleaux that was meant to make thing easier to understand, but accidentally promoted defensive match racing.  Scrap it and if you must, have a non-discardable finals race.  Anything else is just meddling (lets make the dressage event more exciting, by buring a number of anti-personnel mines slightly off-line - miss your mark and there's dog food everywhere!).