How does sailing medal race work

Providing the perfect spectator platform for Medal Race viewing, throughout the regatta spectators have crowded the metre long harbour wall, with stands dotted along the promenade providing refreshments and souvenirs of the regatta.

Volunteers provide updates on the action from the race course. During the Olympic Games, plans include the construction of large screens along the wall showing the live television footage and commentary from the Medal Races. Spectator boats will also deliver fans to the race course.

These will be positioned as close to the harbour wall as the weather conditions allow, with Course A given the prime location. The Medal Races are scheduled for Wednesday 30 August, with Thursday 31 as a reserve day if required. The race format on Course A will be windward leeward, with a trapezoid course format on Area B. The trapezoid format, using inner and outer loops, will allow two fleets to race at the same time, one on the outer loop and the other on the inner.

The top ten boats making the cut will carry their net points score results of all races in opening series, except their worst result through to the Medal Race. During the opening series, results are calculated using the 'low point scoring' system, with a competitor's race points equating to their finishing place in the race, so the first placed boat gets 1 point, second 2 points and so on.

Results in the Medal Race will be scored using a double-points system, with the first place finisher scoring 2 points, second place 4 points, third place 6 points and so on. At past Olympic Sailing Competitions, some competitors have achieved such a significant points advantage over the fleet, that they secured the Gold Medal without needing to sail the last race.

The weather forecast for tomorrow looks promising with a south easterly, swinging round to a southerly by early afternoon, with winds between knots. Home About What is World Sailing?

Types of Sailing Objectives How does it Work? Skip to main content. By ISAF. After a qualification series last week, and the progression of the top sailors through to the gold fleet final series where they were joined by the world's best who were pre-qualified, tomorrow hosts the Medal Race Final.

E-mail this page. This is not only because the race is so short and there is no time for much separation to occur, but also because the standard of the sailors is so similar they are all awesome.

This means thinking ahead and positioning yourself to protect the side of the run you want, which could be determined by the side of the next beat you want, and therefore your chosen gate mark… as I said, you have to think ahead.

Watching the medal race can be great fun, and the more people watch these races the better, the more support we have, and the more investment there will be. I particularly like the drone footage because I find the overhead shot enlightening: You can see clearly the wind on the water and the boat-to-boat tactics.

Often far clearer than if you were in a RIB on the water! He also sails competitively himself in worldwide regattas when he has the time.

The course is a windward leeward course, but much shorter and close to the shore. Usually the race consists of two laps, but this depends on the wind conditions Expected time for each race is 30 minutes Even though the race counts for double points, some competitors go into the final race with sufficient points advantage and secure their medal by match racing another competitor.

Match racing is often a feature of this final short burst race.