Summer Sailing

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Commentator said this is the last 470 men's race in Olympics. Next Olympics they are scrapping men's and women's 470 classes and making it a 470 mixed team race only. Victor Kovalenko will have worked out how to master that within 3 years. That's all he had to train up the men's and women's team to both win gold in Sydney.
 

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Haha Belcher goes to shake the hand of one of the young Spanish bronze medalists and pushes him into the drink and they celebrate together in the water to cool off.
 
BruceFromBalnarring said:
Technical ability is reading wind patterns on the water and anticipating where the next shift in direction will come. It’s also sail adjustment but I doubt there’s much of a difference there.
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A lot of the advantages in being able to read the weather have been eroded at the elite level in recent years

Some Italian researchers did a really in-depth study of the wind patterns at the Tokyo venue last year, it's very interesting and worth reading - the extent to which they could accurately model wind patterns right down to terrain level is really quite impressive

But aside from that, the venue really suits Australians - I raced a small boat regatta on Enoshima Habour many years ago, and we revelled in the heat/humidity and gusty winds... most of the Europeans just wilted
 
RussellEbertHandball said:
Belcher and Ryan have gone from back of the pack to be the first around the 2nd mark.
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Just very professional sailing. For anyone who didn't see the race, it is worth rewatching the first leg on the SAP tracker as that is where they lay the foundation for the win. The tack at around 15:36 is just a masterstroke, and they set themselves up for it with with consistent aggressive high line against GBR.

On the second tack (port, vulnerable) they saw that they had clear water and favourable winds so they weren't afraid to head away from the leaders. Allowed them to time the shifts perfectly, sneak back on starboard with a very high line again (~15:39).

Now here, they are lifting beautifully and have a real opportunity to completely * the fleet - who are coming down lay on port and completely vulnerable. But that's not the main game - they can see Sweden coming up on starboard over their shoulders and they tack aggressively onto lay - lower than the rest of the fleet, backing themselves to take the high line. And they do it! They lift right into the mark and come round hot on Sweden's heels. At that point, it's just a matter of time.

Just phenomenal risk management and backing their skills to deliver.
 
Caesar said:
Just very professional sailing. For anyone who didn't see the race, it is worth rewatching the first leg on the SAP tracker as that is where they lay the foundation for the win. The tack at around 15:36 is just a masterstroke, and they set themselves up for it with with consistent aggressive high line against GBR.

On the second tack (port, vulnerable) they saw that they had clear water and favourable winds so they weren't afraid to head away from the leaders. Allowed them to time the shifts perfectly, sneak back on starboard with a very high line again (~15:39).

Now here, they are lifting beautifully and have a real opportunity to completely fu** the fleet - who are coming down lay on port and completely vulnerable. But that's not the main game - they can see Sweden coming up on starboard over their shoulders and they tack aggressively onto lay - lower than the rest of the fleet, backing themselves to take the high line. And they do it! They lift right into the mark and come round hot on Sweden's heels. At that point, it's just a matter of time.

Just phenomenal risk management and backing their skills to deliver.
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Have a look at their starts over the series. Every race bar one third of the way down the line with space to leeward. Assertive but not aggressive squeeze just before gun then off with clear air and space to generate speed off the line.

Boringly professional.
 
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