but wait, there's more!

[Editor]

A dramatic development in the Celestial rating saga has been prompted from an entirely unexpected source 11,000 miles away from the TP52 group in Sydney. Russell Beale, a former Royal Yachting Association National Judge in the UK, has written directly to the RORC. His email of January 17 was short and to the point:

Dear Sir/Madam,

I have been following the Sydney-Hobart race and its results with interest. I would like to request a rating review for the TP52 Celestial (owner: S. Haynes).

Yours faithfully,
Russell Beale.
UK.

The effect of those two sentences was like lighting the fuse of a rocket flare. The RORC responded the following day, asking Beale to explain his “valid interest” in Celestial’s rating and quoting the applicable IRC Rule 9.2. It states:

9.2 Anyone who has a valid interest in a boat's certificate may also request a rating review from the Rating Authority, by submitting a review request through their Rule Authority to the Rating Authority. A fee may apply. The owner of the boat subject to review will be requested to file a reply as soon as possible.

Undeterred, Beale wrote back the same day. He noted that there is no definition of “valid interest” in the IRC Rules and offered the dictionary definition of “well-grounded or justifiable: being at once relevant and meaningful”. Beale then got to the real substance of his request:

There is clearly a contentious issue here relating to the sudden change in the IRC rating relating to just prior to the Sydney-Hobart race, and, as many of the parties involved will know each other there may be a reluctance to request a review. But for the integrity of the sport, it is important that ratings are seen to be correct and open to challenge.

The sense of that position is difficult to fault. By making his request directly to the RORC Beale was effectively relieving everyone at the Down Under ‘end’ of this dispute from any obligation to act. The other TP52 owners, the Cruising Yacht Club and Australian Sailing could all sit on their hands and await an independent review.

But the RORC is not inclined to take responsibility. Yesterday they responded in these terms, revealing that their rating office had made some inquiries of their own:

We have undertaken a careful review of the boat and the measurement data in conjunction with the CYCA and Australian Sailing. As you may understand these boats are already under careful scrutiny and assessment due to their high profile and regular rating changes.

As you are not an owner, fellow competitor, race organizer, designer, etc. we are not in a position to process your request further in accordance with IRC Rule 9.2. If you need further information then please contact Australian Sailing and if they feel necessary they may request a further rating review…

Beale replied immediately:

“I’m a bit disappointed in the response, as I think I meet the definition of an interested party. I will contact Australian Sailing, as suggested, but I would have hoped that maintaining the veracity, repeatability, and reliability of the IRC system would be a priority.”

What happens next? Stay tuned. Meanwhile, Australian Sailing has now agreed to facilitate the request to re-measure the S&S34 Crux. An interesting precedent has been set. What say you?

– anarchist David

 

[DickDastardly]

In Australia rating authorities have for decades adopted an approach relying on light/no touch and self-policing competitors. It was at one level craven and naive in my view but in their defence, the level of resourcing required - both in numbers and skills to do a good job of managing multiple rating systems to a level that gives the community solid confidence in the integrity of rating data is well above what they have available at present. And remember, the whole community complains about how much AY costs the sport now.

 

[DickDastardly]

There was a few years ago an initiative to create a “Universal Measurement System” that aligned measurement approaches across all rules and essentially allowed creation of a single measurement data file for each boat that each rule used in calculating handicaps.

Saves everyone money and seriously reduces the risk of rating errors.

It was an excellent (and obvious) idea. Of course it failed due to politics between the various yachting and rating organisations involved.

 

[Goodvibes]

Light touch is to audit the winners.

That means that the 'Authorities' only have to audit a few boats a year for the big races.

Easy-peasy. No Ratey no Trophy.

 

[MikeN]

Hard to see how Russell Beale meets the definition of having a "valid interest". By his reading of the term anyone could request a rating review. What would be the point of the condition in that case?

 

[shanghaisailor]

Hard to see how Russell Beale meets the definition of having a "valid interest". By his reading of the term anyone could request a rating review. What would be the point of the condition in that case?

I completely agree with MikeN.

Surely to dispute a rating in a specific event would require protest of the other boat's rating to the event organisers, Race Committee or protest committee.

As such surely the right to protest would fall under RRS 60 'Right to Protest etc'.

RRS 60 lists boat; race committee; protest committee or technical committee. Strangely there is no listing for an individual with "an interest in the results". I would have thought a "former national judge" would clearly understand that his "interest" is not a 'valid interest' in the context of the rules.

Maybe he had bet money on a different winner

I would also add that while working with teams often ways of reducing a rating are explored, often with short notice before an event. A prime example is reducing the size of sail(s) carried which can have a significant number of 'pips' knocked off a rating with little loss of boat speed in the conditions expected at the upcoming event.

Personally I find the innuendo that exercising a change in their IRC Rating by Celestial by what they have described as legitimate alterations to the boat somewhat distasteful.

It doesn't help either that Boy David stirs the shit as he does and gives Mr Beale far more exposure than his request deserves.

Then again - this IS Sailing Anarchy

 

[duncan (the other one)]

I would also add that while working with teams often ways of reducing a rating are explored, often with short notice before an event. A prime example is reducing the size of sail(s) carried which can have a significant number of 'pips' knocked off a rating with little loss of boat speed in the conditions expected at the upcoming event.

Except now IRC explicitly allows 2 certs, which lets anyone play the weather game.

"Short notice" can be dealt with in the NoR, which the Hobart did (limit was 30th Nov).

 

[fboats]

Hard to see how Russell Beale meets the definition of having a "valid interest". By his reading of the term anyone could request a rating review. What would be the point of the condition in that case?

How can you not connect the dots?

The Sydney-Hobart plays out before a worldwide audience. It is a bucket list regatta that many around the world dream of sailing in. If a regatta such as this falls in disrepute, it jeapordizes the reputation of yacht racing in general.

Have a talk with non-racers at your club and ask them why they don't race? Read through the forums and ask yourself why people leave sailboat racing for less burdensome hobbies like golf.

You will find the reasons are cost, stress, yelling, cheating, lack of fun, petty politics, rating arguments, rule changes, etc. This instance calls into question all of those reasons.

The powers that be (Yacht Clubs, National Organizations, Rating Rules, Judges, etc.) operate with the wherewithal of a bunch of 12 year olds in a tree house, playing childish political games to fluff their egos rather than taking a broad and holistic look at what they can do to improve the sport for the all of the stakeholders. When you look deeply at the motivations of many at the helm of our sport, it is deeply saddening in many instances.

The stakeholders of sailing are not just yacht club members, boat owners, and people in board seats. Yachting as a whole has a history and prevelance that influences spectators, readers, dreamers, and more. This is the heartbeat of the industry that has long been forgotten.

So what is Mr. Beales valid interest? Ensuring the sport maintains its values, ethics, and place in history as an honorable and inspirational pastime worthy of participation.

If you ask me, Mr. Beale should be applauded for his willingness to stand up for the integrity of our game.

 

[Trovão]

The S2H rating debacle is becoming a sh!tfight year after year...

I hope it doesn't severely affect the longevity of this iconic race.

 

[Mid]

well the opening shot across the bows had the desired effect ...

 

[accnick]

This is the reason that the Newport Bermuda race requires primary measurement data (everything except sails) to be submitted about three weeks prior to the start of the race, and final sail certificates to be submitted two weeks before the race.

Exceptions to that are only for extenuating circumstances, such as weather interfering with in-water measurement or catastrophic damage requiring re-measurement, and after review by the race technical committee. (Examples would be a lost rig or damaged sail, or in the case the 2022 race, a serious collision during a race several weeks prior to the start of the Bermuda Race.)

Exceptions are rarely granted, and never granted when the request is obviously for the purpose of re-optimization.

Last-minute rating optimization for weather is purposely not allowed, since it is primarily big-budget programs that can take advantage of that, to the detriment of the rest of the fleet.

 

[ROADKILL666]

OMG let it go! It’s over.

 

[maxstaylock]

I once did a handicap race where nobody complained about their rating, or the rating of the winner.

 

[Snaggletooth]

It wassente Oune Desine?

 

[Editor]

I once did a handicap race where nobody complained about their rating, or the rating of the winner.

un-possible!

 

[d'ranger]

 

[Mambo Kings]

If Celestial was my boat. I would get ahead of this . Before anyone persuades YA or the rating authority to demand his boat is re-measured. I would end the shit fight by volunteering to have my boat re-measured and offering to pay for it.

Take the high road. Let the rats squabble in the gutter.

There is no downside. Celestial will forever be famous as the boat that won two successive S2H races. The first one was taken away on a technicality. The second one will either be confirmed in an act of outstanding sportsmanship or taken away due to a cock up by the rating authority.

Either way, five years later everyone will still remember Celestial and nobody will remember who got awarded the trophy on a technicality.

Honestly all I can remember about the previous S2H is that Celestial won it and somebody else got it after a protest about a radio. I have no idea who the somebody else is...I would have to google it.

 

[Mambo Kings]

I once did a handicap race

So did I.
It seemed a bit pointless.

I tried explaining it to my friend from Mars. We overtake slower boats and get passed by faster boats. Not that different from real sail boat racing, but the difference is that we then argue that we beat the faster boat using something called a "handicap".

My friendly Martian asked " But why not simply get a faster boat?"

I acknowledged he had a good point and said that is what some people do for something called line honors...but the problem is that the fastest boats are not allowed to compete.

Resident Alien: "Why not?"

Me: "Because they are multihulls"

RA " Why cant multihulls compete?"

Me: "Because they are faster"

He shook his head and went back to Mars.

 

[MR.CLEAN]

Hard to see how Russell Beale meets the definition of having a "valid interest". By his reading of the term anyone could request a rating review. What would be the point of the condition in that case?

If RORC chose not to define the term 'valid interest' they should be bound to the dictionary definition. Poor rulemaking.

 

[dchs89]

I will not be satisfied until the ATO releases 10 years of Sam Haynes' tax returns and 2 NATA accredited laboratories conduct measurements of his cock. Why waste time with this sail racing, get straight to the dick measuring.