Hearing Decision

Procedural preamble: Hearing 1 was heard together with hearing 2 & 3 in accordance with RRS 63.2 since both hearings arose from the same incident. 

1. Race 1 was started in an average breeze of 4.5kts.


2. There were variable, shifting winds throughout the race.


3. As the first boats were starting their second upwind leg, the Race Officer assessed that no boat would finish within the time limit.


4. The finish vessel anchored and displayed code flag S with two sound signals to the west of mark 1I. The sound signals were audible across the course.


5. Approximately 10 boats had rounded the gate to commence the upwind leg. The remainder of the fleet was still sailing their downwind leg.


6. As the latter half of the fleet rounded the gate to commence the upwind leg there was a significant wind shift and those boats flew spinnakers in the next leg.


7. 16 boats finished within the finish time window. The remainder of the finishers were outside the time limit.

On 18/04/2022, the Jury having decided that it may have made a significant error, reopened the hearing with the parties present. 

With the consent of the parties, the Race Committee was represented by PRO Peter Merritt.

Additional fact found:

8. One boat finished the race within the time limit for that race.

9. Boats that finished within the next 10 minutes were scored according to their finishing position.  Boats that finished thereafter were scored DNF.

1. The Race Committee correctly shortened the course in accordance with Rule 32.1(b).


2. There was neither an improper action nor omission of the Race Committee. Therefore, the requirements for redress under Rule 62.1(a) are not met.


3. The Jury erred by not considering that at the time Race 1 was conducted SI 14 did not change RRS 35 A5.1 and A5.2 as required by RRS 85.1. Therefore conclusion 2 is incorrect.


4. Scoring as DNF the boats that finished more than 10 minutes after the first boat finsihed is an improper action of the race committee that made those boats score in the race significantly worse through no fault of their own.

Redress is given to the boats scored DNF.  They are to be scored according to their finishing places unless otherwise penalised or retired.