Agreed, it's a fantastic achievement and a tremendous medal haul, but it's been done over 3 editions of the Games.  Names like Elvestrom, Redgrave, and even Ainslie (I may be a little biased here) spring to my mind as although they haven't the outright numbers of gongs, they have dominated over fare longer periods in their sports. 

Micheal Johnson just mentioned that context of achievement must be taken into account when making these claims, and that for him Jesse Owens is still the man.

The should just have a range of distance events, any stroke you like, just like running. 

How can it be fair to other sports and athletes that one person can win so many?

 

Or perhaps one for upwind, one for downwind and one for reaching.

 

How can one guy sensibly win so many medals when someone like Regrave at the top of his game for 16 years can only win 5 ... just not fair ...

FTFY

Redgrave has 6 medals - 5 gold and 1 bronze he doubled up in Seoul  (coxed and coxless pairs).

(plus the one I'm sure he values the most when he rowed with me at Henley RC anniversary invitation scratch VIIIs)

Don't judge me by your standards Graeme - I might capsize (although not as often in 3 years as you did in 6 months) but I stay on the high side

Wrong again - more likely to capsize on a pond, what with 50 degree headers up the beat, wind speed going from 6-20 knots (usually half way thru a gybe or tack) and back in an instant. I freely admit that I am far more successful at finding innovative new ways to muck things up on our pond than on open water. I've even performed water starts (and seen others do so too) in a dinghy on our pond straight after rolling in to windward in a lull.

I've always accepted your beach is an issue, although coming in to a shore break when you cannot get the sail down fears me at least as much as getting out. And I do like my smooth, unscratched bottom thank you very much.

Talks are available and the feedback has been really positive, thankfully. For you, I think I'd have to go for the sections about choosing the right boat, then making sure everything works properly...

However first time on the sea in waves, first gybe, in I went, documented elsewhere, too much weight on the windward stern quarter aided by a wave, bringing about a flare gybe back the way I'd just come and in to windward there's a first time for everything and that's a new one on me.

I take all your points about violent shifts, headers, lulls etc but cross waves are more unsettling if they come at the wrong moment, the sea brings about more spills (and thrills) than ponds. Ponds do on the other hand teach you more about wind and how to react to it, and better transition technique and rule observance, inter boat reactions, high speed oscillating wind tactics.

But to be a truly good sailor, you need to be good at both...

I hope you wrote that in your book.