Penalty Points Madness 😳

The ITM New Zealand Sail Grand Prix saw many crashes and penalty points dished out, but how did the field shake up?
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[@skylarking12]

The Christchurch race was a dumpster fire; I don't know of any sailing race at any level where two boats entirely miss the final finish line gate and still get placed, with no penalties, when the boats ahead and behind them went thru the gate properly. USA could have jumped two places in that last race if the other two had to re-do their gate pass, as you have to on any mark-rounding that's blown.

[@Kiwi17714]

Half of the gate was under the Aussie boat. The two teams passed through where it was before the start of the race.

[@skylarking12]

@@Kiwi17714 Except, before the final that I'm talking about, the race committee replaced the crushed marker with a flagged RIB at the pin end to mark both sides of the finish line gate, and race control told all the captains in the briefing, so you can't say they were ignorant, it was also mentioned over the coms, the drivers should have all known where the actual gate was, and gone thru it to finish. Two boat drivers ahead of USA got target fixated on chasing the boat in front of them and passed to the portside of the float, OUTSIDE the defined gate. That's just wrong no matter how you slice it, and it makes the SailGP referees seem about as legit as those in pro wrestling. It was favoritism, not honest reffing. What's next, mark-rounding becomes optional!?!

[@gorzathscott4668]

I am shocked how many times you hear I did not see them. These guys need spoters NASCAR style. At this level of racing it is more that a little embarrassing to hear that. Most importantly better safety or someome will get killed. Otherwise it is amazing racing.

[@callumwyper]

The aus penalty is outrageous, sad to see the best team by far this season be knocked down not by another team but by an umpire decision on a case in which the calls by the helmsman where much more appropriate than pretty much any other collision in sailgp’s history.

[@aurelspecker6740]

Am I seeing that right? He also tooks the decision to crash himself into the marking instead of taking a dangerous leap of hope and hitting the other team. This should be rewarded and not even more penalized in my opinion.

[@dizzy6693]

Poor Canada 😂😂😂

[@jaimegarcia9408]

Vamos España !!

[@si_vis_amari_ama]

Why is it always Canada...

[@davidpilbeam3644]

As an RO you have to take some responsibility for the races' fair conduct. If you put an obstacle right where the fleet need to gybe you should not be surprized when a boat is unable to avoid it. Australia's fair penalty was to not finish the remaining races. The 8 point penalty is a marketing ploy by SailGP.

[@PN_48]

Idiotic interpretation of the rules. GBR and Denmark were due to being oblivious to the other boats, Aus were avoiding a collision. How’s the Aus infringement worth double the points deduction of the other two?

[@Kiwi17714]

The aussies sailed themselves into that position that caused the collision. They turned into Canada aggressively to block Canada from the boundary tack. They had plenty of room 20 seconds prior to sail in behind Canada and be free and clear.

[@tube_de_siguro]

@@Kiwi17714 How's that twice as bad? From the sounds of it the blocking was entirely legal or not?

[@Kiwi17714]

@@tube_de_siguro it wasn't legal, it was avoidable, and it caused significant damage, that's why they got such a large penalty.

[@Gottenhimfella]

@@tube_de_siguro Canada were close enough to the virtual boundary that Aus had to give room to gybe, under SailGP special rules (normal race courses do not have boundaries other than natural ones).

[@tube_de_siguro]

@@Gottenhimfella Ah cool, I remember hearing about that rule before, just never seen it applied. Thx!

[@lesp315]

Professionals turning more and more amateurish. High fines would take care of this BS.

[@mini696]

Absolutely pathetic interpretation of the rules. They should be ashamed. SailGP did it purely for the clout and clickbait.

[@Gottenhimfella]

No, I don't think those are the only possible reasons. I agree it's SailGP's fault, but that's because it's they who wrote the rules on penalties in such a way that serious damage automatically incurs the top level of penalty. And that's probably because it's they who have to repair the boats, not the teams, and if several boats are severely damaged it would put the whole season in jeopardy.