Have the same been done for other classes?
Messing with the starting line in the medal race.. This is not the first time PU oversees a Tornado event, so he knows it is a golden rule to not tack more than you have to. One tack is worth a lot.

Mitch Booth said this was the windiest Olympics he has competed at. When asked the same question, Bundock agreed. Qingdao wasn't so bad after all. Another welcome case of that favourite sailing cliche: "It's not normally like this!"

Don't want to sound bitter but the Greeks cost their Aussie training partners any hope of a gold with that start.

Meanwhile the Aussies had got on to the tail of the Spanish and looked in a position to threaten. However they dropped away again up the final beat, as Darren Bundock explained afterwards: "The mast rotator broke and so we couldn't set the mainsail properly so we were a bit slow up that leg." The Spanish pulled away again and finished ahead of Australia, bagging the gold medal.

Somebody has got to help me find that link where I proclaimed it was going to blow at this Olympics...

Comparing the comments made during the Star medal race was a treat....he actually got into the tactics and focused on the teams experience levels during the Star race...didn't seem to know what was going on with the T's or team histories.

Gotta love him for "Don't Stars just look beautiful" comment! All I could think of was don't they look like outdated tubs plowing along.

Here you go: http://www.catsailor.com/forums/showflat.php?Cat=0&Number=153314

August 1, 2008 - Jake :

I'm still saying that with the number of people betting on light air...it's going to crank. That's how it works.

Not trying to bash Gary but it appeared that little has changed from the 1990’s in his eyes. Sad when he is considered the expert to comment on the video -




That is not to much to ask in exchange for a paycheck from NBC.

And what about the Maritime Academy? Did they realize what a wanker he was?

Gotta love him for "Don't Stars just look beautiful" comment! All I could think of was don't they look like outdated tubs plowing along.

A highlight package should be sent to everyone who voted against the multihull...

As to why I did not postpone when it was obvious they were going to do a port start. I set up the start line purposely so that they would start on port.
We did the same thing the two previous years for the test events for both the boards and the catamarans on the medal course.
Had they started on starboard they would have hit the breakwater in 300 meters which at the speed they were going would have been very quick. Add to that that like any catamaran, Tornados like to hit the corners. The wind at the start was 17 - 18 knots.
The idea was to get the course as close to the breakwater as we could for the thousands of spectators. This meant elimiating the left lay line, an acceptable procedure under the policy for the event.
We set the weather mark at 1.4 knotical miles Target time was 30 minutes. We missed the target time by 12 seconds. (30 min 12 sec)
The next start was the Stars. Stars dont go to corners so this class was able to start on starboard and short tack up the breakwater which was very special for the spectators and a concideration in laying the start line for both classes.
Many observers (Matt) may not have been aware of what we were trying to accomplish hence his comments regarding a postponement.
The angle that the signal boat and pin boat were laying was fairly normal for this venue.Seldom did the signal boat and pin boat ever lay in the same direction, and even more seldom bow to the wind.
Matt's observation regarding this is somewhat correct they went out, however not because of the position of the starting line. Rather because the current was pushing towards the weather mark, there was more pressure on the outside, there was stronger current outside and at this venue on the inside there are toilet bowl eddies due to shoals that disturb the current flow and finally there was a restriction on the inside.
On a finishing note, television pays 8 million dollars for the rights to this event. If they want the course next to the spectators, ISAF agrees even if it elimiates a left layline. Team leaders, Coaches and Athletes are well aware of this policy and accept it. We as race management follow policy.