Hi!
I heard a story that competitors from around the world mistakenly
followed the native (and world champion) Greek sailing team as they
took a wrong turn on the course during this year's Olympics. But have
not been able to find ANYTHING to verify this. Does anyone have any
information?

Thanks!

Katrina scribbled thusly:
Hi!
I heard a story that competitors from around the world mistakenly
followed the native (and world champion) Greek sailing team as they
took a wrong turn on the course during this year's Olympics. But have
not been able to find ANYTHING to verify this. Does anyone have any
information?

Thanks!


OzOne wrote:
Have you ever raced Katrina?

If the other sailors followed a boat going the wrong way then it
doesn't say a real lot for their ability!

True... Lots of people have done it though... especially if there's a
big wind shift or a shortened course.

Fresh Breezes- Doug King

OzOne wrote:
Sure, I've done it myself once or twice

Yep. Me too.

.... BUT, these are supposed to be among the best in
the world with backup teams etc etc
I seriously doubt that it happened in this event.

I'd be kind of surprised too, especially considering that the Olympic
courses are rather limited now.

THe only thing I can see happening along these lines is if, with
multiple course set in the same area, one class headed for another
classes' bouy. But hopefully they'd be easy to distinguish at long distance.

We used to travel to a club in Beaufort SC that had about four courses
set up for the weekend regatta, within about 1m X 2m area. The bouys
were all the same, big inflatable orange tetrahedrons, except for small
letters on one side them. Sometimes the races were like a treasure hunt,
going to all the bouys to see which was the right one. This place has a
lot of current too. Fun!

Fresh Breezes- Doug King

Sure, I've done it myself once or twice

Yep. Me too.


OzOne wrote:
And I always thought I was the only idiot :-)

Oh no, the "idiots" are the ones following you to the wrong mark!


Won a few races on protest after I was the only boat that actually
went the right way though :-)

Never been there, although I have been among a handful of boats thrown
out of a race for partially completing the course the wrong way, then
completing it the right way.

Huh? I didn't understand it then and don't now... other than as a
blatant cheat to make sure the home team ended up winning.


Oh yeah.
On Botany Bay there are a whole bunch of clubs that sail.
All use similar bouys and confusion is de rigeur :-)

What's really FUN is when you get a bunch of spinnaker boats
power-reaching for the wrong mark, right through the Opti races!

"Hey! Did you hear that? Sounded like a thump...."



Fresh Breezes- Doug King