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pondmonkey
Really should get out more Joined: 12 Aug 11 Online Status: Offline Posts: 2202 |
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Topic: Medal Race Posted: 07 Aug 12 at 9:50am |
I dislike the medal race as it forces the match racing agenda and I think it takes away from the earlier results. I appreciate that one-on-one tactics will always be there, (there was no medal race in Atlanta when Scheidt and Ainslie had their ding-dong that led to media outcry iirc...)
I guess I've always believed a sailing regatta should be a marathon, not a sprint, to test the competitors over a broader range of conditions- otherwise, just htfu and have it over with in a single day 3 or 4 back to back on the first day with >5 knots of true wind. I just wonder how much the medal race upsets the game plans of the athletes.... I know it's not like Annalise Murphy wouldn't have got the leather anyway on a conventional scoresheet with just one discard; but with so much focus on one race at the end, I do think this must add a hell of lot of 'ifs' and 'maybes' into what should, imo, be a more structured regatta strategy.
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fudheid
Far too distracted from work Joined: 21 Apr 11 Location: 51.53 N 01.28 E Online Status: Offline Posts: 241 |
Post Options Quote Reply Posted: 07 Aug 12 at 11:00am |
I reckon we should be the same as other sports qualifiers i.e. regatta 9 races to see who gets to race for the medals. Then the medal race is just that.
A final race to see who is the quickest, first over the line wins. Seeing defensive sailing is interesting but when badminton players get binned for not competing surely the sailors who sail down are not competing as per the Olympic creed? Every other sport comes down to one race/ final to see who is the best. 4 years builds up to a one off race.
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Cheers you
only me from over the sea...... |
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Medway Maniac
Really should get out more Joined: 13 May 05 Location: United Kingdom Online Status: Offline Posts: 2788 |
Post Options Quote Reply Posted: 07 Aug 12 at 12:34pm |
Trouble is, the wind being what it is, one race would subject each competitor to too much randomness. You need a number of races to even things out.
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gbrspratt
Posting king Joined: 26 Sep 11 Location: Felixstowe Online Status: Offline Posts: 170 |
Post Options Quote Reply Posted: 07 Aug 12 at 1:18pm |
why? its the Olympics. your meant to be the best in the world. if your not competitive in certain conditions then surely that is down to you? why should you be allowed to put points in the bank? you should be sailing for victory or not at all
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Medway Maniac
Really should get out more Joined: 13 May 05 Location: United Kingdom Online Status: Offline Posts: 2788 |
Post Options Quote Reply Posted: 07 Aug 12 at 1:27pm |
Even the best can get unlucky if they choose the wrong side of the course - we've seen plenty of that in the medal races so far.
Nobody can be right 100% of the time, and the top sailors probably lie within a few percent of each other in how often they get it right. It's not like a club race where the differences are often much greater. Mr 70% could easily lose to Mr 60% in one race, but over a series that 10% difference will out.
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Bootscooter
Really should get out more Joined: 15 May 07 Location: United Kingdom Online Status: Offline Posts: 1094 |
Post Options Quote Reply Posted: 07 Aug 12 at 1:28pm |
Because the whole basis for championship sailing across pretty well all classes is a week long event - a long weekend at worst.
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fudheid
Far too distracted from work Joined: 21 Apr 11 Location: 51.53 N 01.28 E Online Status: Offline Posts: 241 |
Post Options Quote Reply Posted: 07 Aug 12 at 1:34pm |
But thats the point. the reason these guys are at the top is they play the shifts and percentages properly.
If you check the mark roundings (On the ISAF site) the only boats that struggled were the GBR because they didn't sail the right tactics - if you have got the boat speed as proved in the 'qualifiying' then race your normal race i.e. conservatively up the middle. In a one off final everyone will do the same unless they can predict the wind. To see percy and simpson sail the last leg on the port side when the fleet went right* was madness. They had the best speed they just made the wrong tactical decision in the medal race instead of relying on their skill and boatspeed. The swedes showed that the course was fair picking the shifts and sailing fast same as the french dude in the finns. edit* starboard!
Edited by fudheid - 07 Aug 12 at 1:35pm |
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Post Options Quote Reply Posted: 07 Aug 12 at 1:40pm |
I don't see how taking the conservative middel can ever win a single race. Someone who doesn't fancy their chances will bang a corner. If you get two guys banging opposite corners, chances are one of them will come out ahead of the guy in the middle.
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gbrspratt
Posting king Joined: 26 Sep 11 Location: Felixstowe Online Status: Offline Posts: 170 |
Post Options Quote Reply Posted: 07 Aug 12 at 1:40pm |
If your not right when it counts then do you deserve to win? no. If you get it wrong and someone gets the better of you then they surely deserve to win? its a race, someone has to win whether you think its fluky or not (its the same for everyone on the water). You can still have a regatta style build up, then the top ten go for a balls out winner takes all. At least then we would see our sailors trying to win by actually coming first.
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fudheid
Far too distracted from work Joined: 21 Apr 11 Location: 51.53 N 01.28 E Online Status: Offline Posts: 241 |
Post Options Quote Reply Posted: 07 Aug 12 at 1:41pm |
yea man +1
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only me from over the sea...... |
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