Watching the Tokyo Races

Good point by iGrf about allowing kinetics on boards so racing can go ahead on schedule.

Does make me wonder what's going to happen in future Olympics when all the old fashioned boats have been replaced with glamorous foilers, but the wind doesn't blow...

It's a difficult question. It was pretty much our decision back in the Mistral class to permit pumping, because at the time our sponsor, quite rightly expected an event to happen and they wanted it to start at 12 noon on the saturday come what may. So I expect it is with lots of sports that accept the Kings Shilling so to speak.

As a spectator I totally agree with you, but on the other hand by pumping the event went ahead. Not sure the same can be said of 470s, they don't necessarily have to pump unless it's a total drifter.

Pumping a board is as atheletic a skill as rowing and trust me racing windsurfers are often as fit if not fitter than rowers as I recall they found out in Athens.

Dinghy sailing still suffers the same hypocrisy that windsurfing had when we took that decsion, the fact is at the front of any fleet its always kinetic and I've been dinghy sailing now long enough to have witnessed this first hand, y'all however pretend it isn't and turn a blind eye or favour some whilst penailisng others.

Whilst I accept what Mike (Cirrus) says that it killed the sport, I don't believe that's true, there were lots of other reasons, not least the take up by the RYA of teaching a planing only pathway, refusal to allot boards yardsticks, closure of multiple schools by RYA 'inspectors' with vested interests of their own amongst many other reasons.

Edited by iGRF - 05 Aug 21 at 2:59pm

Originally posted by rich96 All in all a great regatta I wish they bin the ridiculous 470 upwind pumping though -it looks terrible The windsurfer upwind pumping is bad enough

Especially when they can't do it properly at Olympic level.

All in all a great regatta

I wish they bin the ridiculous 470 upwind pumping though -it looks terrible

The windsurfer upwind pumping is bad enough

Originally posted by iGRF Well got to take my hat off to the 49er crew and the Finn Guy, one of the daughters of darkness showed me how to operate the red button which pulls up lots of action from various days, so I'll get to watch those medal races at least. I gather the 49ers literally went to the wire. About time they got some results in that class the money they've been chucking at it down the years and I even recognise a name Stew/Stu Bithell? Seem to remember him from previous classes can't think which, but good on him just the same and whoever the other guy is.