Medal racing with Addendum Q. A special set of sailing instructions for the final race in a regatta for Olympic Classes. The top ten compete in a 30 minute race that scores double points. Medal Races are also judged ‘directly’. I.e. umpires on the water decide on an incident straight away, if one of the involved boats protests.
It involves a lot of preparation, has a big attraction to the Media – being so compact and with so few boats – and has changed Olympic sailing.
It is however – and pardon my expression – very ‘tame’ compared to Match Racing for an Umpire. In the five races I judged on the water today, there were two incidents. One resulting in a red flag (by another umpire) and one in a voluntarily taken penalty by the infringing boat. That’s it.
And when Oscar was up, the Finns starting ‘air rowing’. Huge pumps with the sails throwing their whole bodyweight in the pull. Personally I do not think that is sailing anymore. The sailor who’s been pumping iron the most, will win….. All other factors are of less importance.
Sailing should stay more complicated.
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