Urgent Changes to Racing Rules of Sailing

The following update comes courtesy of Finn Class eNews – December 2017:

Having reviewed the implementation of the new rules concerning support persons in the 2017 – 2020 Racing Rules of Sailing, World Sailing has made a number of urgent rule changes following feedback from MNAs and race officials. These urgent rule changes affect the following rules: Definition Party, rules 63.1 and 64.4. There is also a new rule 63.9.

These rule changes will come into effect on January , 2018. To find details of these changes and corrections… click here.

World Sailing Case 78
Following a review involving athletes, coaches, race officials and other stakeholders, World Sailing has amended Case 78. This Case interprets rule 2 (Fair Sailing). Previously, a boat was allowed to use tactics that interfered with and hindered another boat’s progress in a race if there was a reasonable chance that these tactics benefited either:
1. Her final ranking in the event; or
2. Her chances of gaining selection for another event or for her national team.

Under the newly amended Case, it is no longer possible to justify these actions on the basis that they benefit a boat’s chances of gaining selection for another event or for her national team. Such tactics can only be justified if there is a reasonable chance they will benefit the boat’s final ranking in the event. Otherwise they will break rule 2.

The updated Case will be available shortly via a supplement to the World Sailing Case Book. This will be sent to all MNAs and World Sailing Race Officials. Please note the above information is not an official interpretation of the Racing Rules of Sailing by World Sailing and is for information only. The final published Case will be the only authoritative interpretation.

New World Sailing Case: Requesting Redress under Rule 62.1(b)
If a boat requests redress due to injury or physical damage caused by a boat breaking a rule of Part 2, there has been a difference of opinion of whether the boat seeking redress must first protest the other boat.

A new World Sailing Case will be published shortly which will confirm that she does not need to protest the boat that caused the damage or injury. However, her request for redress will not succeed unless evidence is provided during the redress hearing that leads the protest committee to conclude that the other boat broke a rule of Part 2.

This new Case will be available shortly via a supplement to the World Sailing Case Book. This will be sent to all MNAs and World Sailing Race Officials. Please note the above information is not an official interpretation of the Racing Rules of Sailing by World Sailing and is for information only. The final published Case will be the only authoritative interpretation.

Questions and Answers
World Sailing has issued a number of Q&As in 2017. To find these… click here.