Prada Cup Finals

RussC

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Sep 11, 2015
1,578
Merit 22- Oregon lakes
Racing is on for Friday night. Aukland is at Level 2 of their COVID protocol, so there can’t be gatherings of more than 100 people. Italy refused to allow further delays though, so the racing will happen and should be televised.
our Friday or theirs? 21 hr difference.
 
Oct 2, 2008
3,807
Pearson/ 530 Strafford, NH
What are the wind and wave, speed and size, limits for these races? Too much or too little could be annoying.
 
May 17, 2004
5,028
Beneteau Oceanis 37 Havre de Grace
What are the wind and wave, speed and size, limits for these races? Too much or too little could be annoying.
It’s a pretty wide range considering the types of boats - 6.5 to 23 knots. At the low end there’s also a 12 minute time limit for the first leg and 45 minute time limit for the race. Below about 8 knots the boats don’t really foil so the time limit would be a significant obstacle.
I haven’t seen anything about a wave height limit. They have a few courses to choose from so on choppier days they can move to more protected courses. So far in the round robins, semi-finals and finals I don’t think anything’s been cancelled for being out of range.
 
May 17, 2004
5,028
Beneteau Oceanis 37 Havre de Grace
I agree - nice to see a little more balance. Interesting that Ainslie said in the interview after race 5 that they had a straight line speed disadvantage and needed to be aggressive at the start. Then in race 6 when they were just even at the start they were able to open up a lead.
 
May 17, 2004
5,028
Beneteau Oceanis 37 Havre de Grace
That was an interesting rules situation at the start of race 5. Pretty good breakdown at
. This whole business of “your penalty is to fail 50 meters behind the other boat” isn’t very satisfying. I guess doing 720’s or even 360’s would be too harsh a penalty in these boats, and potentially dangerous with the rapid changes in apparent wind speed and direction. But just requiring that they fall 50 m back, regardless of where they were before the incident, doesn’t feel like a good process either.
 
Jun 29, 2010
1,287
Beneteau First 235 Lake Minnetonka, MN
That was an interesting rules situation at the start of race 5. Pretty good breakdown at
. This whole business of “your penalty is to fail 50 meters behind the other boat” isn’t very satisfying. I guess doing 720’s or even 360’s would be too harsh a penalty in these boats, and potentially dangerous with the rapid changes in apparent wind speed and direction. But just requiring that they fall 50 m back, regardless of where they were before the incident, doesn’t feel like a good process either.
Starboard/leeward boat wins. They tried to come up but couldn't, I'd be pulling the flag too. Luna need to avoid a collision, pretty straight forward. 50m back is what the rules are and its not a surprise to the competitors.
 
May 17, 2004
5,028
Beneteau Oceanis 37 Havre de Grace
Starboard/leeward boat wins. They tried to come up but couldn't, I'd be pulling the flag too. Luna need to avoid a collision, pretty straight forward. 50m back is what the rules are and its not a surprise to the competitors.
Wholeheartedly agree - GBR deserved the Windward/leeward penalty and the net result was fair to the competitors.

My lack of satisfaction is more with the penalty being written to fall 50 m behind the other boat, and especially with having that penalty when both boats are OCS. The RO calling the OCS penalties nullified in spite of the rule saying OCS penalties can’t offset adds to the confusion there, but the 50 m provision makes it a strange situation.

In any case, I hope there is some good racing tonight and the GBR wins at least one race to extend the series another day.
 
May 17, 2004
5,028
Beneteau Oceanis 37 Havre de Grace
Good effort by GBR in the last races. God positioning in the 7th start and decisively winning the 8th start weren’t enough though. Just not enough boat speed in the right modes to hold off Italy.

I’m looking forward to the Cup match. Hopefully Italy has found enough speed to make it a competitive set of races.