GBR Challenge Boat of the Week prize at Ford Cork Week

by John McWilliam 23 Jul 2002 13:06 BST

When GBR Challenge offered Ford Cork Week the unique prize of four people flown free to the Am Cup in New Zealand we realised we had to have an objective scoring system which would be fair and open to all boats, no smoke-filled room decisions!

Jamie McWilliam devised the BOTW system and ran it from Hong Kong for Ford Cork Week, working at 0300 in the morning, when results became available in Ireland!!

Jamie is a Governer of the Etchells Class and he used a mix of the methodology of their World Ranking system and that of ISAF and came up with a formula for Cork.

The system is free of personal opinion, mathematical and objective. It was published well before Ford Cork Week, in Yachts and Yachting of 26th April 2002.

Aim:

The aim was to provide an Overall Results system which rewarded the effort of winning in larger Classes and in Classes where there is greater depth of competition.

Comment:

Many sailors and journalists say it is a welcome boost for those who sailed an excellent regatta in mid-fleet classes that are eclipsed by the big-boat bias in Media coverage. They are delighted to see Ford Cork Week rewarding excellence throughout the Fleet.

System:

The system depends mostly on actual Class results but adds small bonuses for Class size and for mathematically assessed Class "Depth of Quality". Trial results using past Ford Cork and Cowes Week data confirm it satisfies Ford Cork Week's declared aim and sailors can also now see their Fleet standing and how their Class was assessed for "Depth of Quality".

Results:

These are for two Divisions, IRC ENDORSED and IRM/SPORTS.

Top of the largest Division by far, IRC Endorsed, was the Sigma 38 "PROPHET" who dominated the largest ever Cork Sigma 38 fleet. She also wins a GBR CHALLENGE PRIZE easily because she had plenty of ISAF Group 1 sailors aboard in the spirit of Cork and in line with the GBR Prize Rules.

Top of the combined IRM and Sportsboat Division is 1720 "BABBALASS BACH", who nearly missed out on the GBR CHALLENGE PRIZE because she was a "works" entry with only two Group 1 sailors aboard. One of them was a 14 year-old but Peter Harrison generously allowed his name to be included for the GBR Prize.

Boat of the Week Top Boats:

IRC Endorsed
Pos	Boat Name	Points	CLASS	Class Position	Avg Pts	Avg Fleet Pos.
1	Prophet	958.4	Sigma38	1	1.17	4.67%
2	Tundra	938.1	X332	1	1.57	5.42%
3	Humphrey Go-Kart	932.1	IRC5	1	2.64	6.61%
4	Kit Off	919.6	IRC5	2	3.14	7.86%
5	Throbber	918.4	IRC7	1	3.31	9.18%
6	Cajou	912.0	IRC1	1	2.33	8.33%
7	Krush	909.6	IRC2	1	3.29	8.65%
8	Thunder 2	908.0	IRC0	1	2.50	10.00%
9	Gloves Off	901.3	IRC0	2	2.67	10.67%
10	Checkmate	896.2	IRC4	1	3.57	10.20%
11	Sibelius	896.2	IRC4	2	3.57	10.20%
12	Bateleur	894.3	IRC1	2	2.83	10.12%
13	Judicious	868.4	IRC6	1	4.57	13.45%
14	Nods New Car	868.4	IRC6	2	4.57	13.45%
15	Jacana	868.4	IRC3	1	4.86	12.78%
16	Saphire	857.2	IRC2	2	5.29	13.91%
17	Whistlin Dixie	852.1	IRC7	2	5.67	15.74%
18	Carabistouilles 2	850.2	X332	2	4.14	14.29%
19	Crewsaver Dickies	845.9	IRC3	2	5.71	15.04%
20	Red Macaw	837.7	Sigma38	2	4.17	16.67%
21	Bare Knuckles	779.4	Prima38	1	3.29	21.90%
22	Firestorm	722.4	Prima38	2	4.14	27.62%
IRM/Sportsboats
Pos	Boat Name	Points	CLASS	Class Position	Avg Pts	Avg Fleet Pos.
1	Babbalaas Bach	902.5	1720	1	3.11	10.04%
2	Censored	867.3	707	1	5.50	12.22%
3	Impulse	853.2	707	2	6.14	13.65%
4	Wolf	833.3	IRM	1	3.50	17.50%
5	Le Bouchon	801.8	1720	2	6.22	20.07%
6	Team Tonic	791.2	IRM	2	4.33	21.67%