The 49er, 49erFX and Nacra 17 Worlds championships were trialing a new Medal Series format.
This aimed to provide a clearer overall result, with the podium places decided on the final day, and preferably in the final race.
This sudden sweeping change was triggered by the lack-luster sailing events at the Paris Olympic Games.
Although that was mainly down to the weather conditions at Marseilles . . . not something that is going to be solved by tweaking the final day race format.
After some 15 qualifying races, the top 20 competitors in each class raced a single gold fleet race, with the top four going forward to a single winner-takes-all medal race, ranked as 1st with 3pts, 2nd with 2pts, 3rd with 1 pt and 4th with zero.
The winner the final race would get 4 pts the other three zero, the highest total score winning the title. Thus it was possible for any of the four to claim the title.
As it went two eventual winners started their final medal race in second place (49erFX and Nacra 17) while in the 49er the eventual champion started in first.
A big advantage for the event in Cagliari was that the finals were contested in excellent sailing conditions, the Nacra particularly a seat-of-the-pants affair.
As displayed here the event had top class media coverage and commentary that was knowledgeable without the vocal antics that some sailing events have resorted to.
It comes back to sailings ‘Achilles’ heel’ can sailing justify the other five days of racing if the weather fails to play ball and finals day turns out to be a drifter . . . Over to you World Sailing!
Related Post . . .
49er, 49erFX and Nacra 17 Worlds Day 6 – Winner-takes-all Medal Day
