Scoring System for Optimist Regional and National Events

Scoring System for Optimist Regional and National Events

Scores for DNF, RAF & OOT

The scoring system for sailors who did not finish in races at our events has changed this year to bring it back into line with the standard Racing Rules of Sailing.

In previous years, sailors who started a race but did not finish (DNF), retired after finishing (RAF) or were outside the time limit (OOT) were awarded points equal to the number of finishers plus one. The standard RRS awards them the number of entrants plus one.

This change has been made for a number of reasons. In the first instance it is difficult enough for a race officer to identify the finishers without having to identify those who did come to the starting area but did not finish. This led to a considerable number of requests for redress and administrative hassle. The other reason is that some sailors had clearly identified that merely being in the starting area when they had no intention of completing the race was enough to improve your position.

Scores for Abandoned Fleets – Adverse Weather Conditions

The scoring system that applies in adverse weather conditions when racing is abandoned for some fleets has also been changed.

In previous years, sailors who were stood down were awarded points equal to the number of finishers plus one. This resulted in many of these sailors having their best results of a series when they were not actually sailing! In other instances sailors who were stood down were awarded points much worse than their performances in the races they sailed.

The new scoring system will eliminate these anomalies by awarding stood-down sailors the average points for the races sailed after allowing for the appropriate number of discards. Thus, in a regional event with 6 races scheduled over two days, with racing abandoned for the silver fleet for the first day and three races run on the second day; silver fleet sailors will be awarded the average of their best two races from the second day for those races from which they were stood down on the first day.