CC MEMO -- LV Acts 6-9 Race Ops Update

Over the past two weeks, Regatta Director Dyer Jones has again consulted with the CC and Defender on a number of race operations issues for the upcoming Louis Vuitton Acts 6 and 7 in Malmoe, SWE (Aug/Sep), as well as the subsequent LV Acts 8 and 9 in Trapani (Sciliy), ITA (Sep/Oct). The following consensus was acheived, and the relevant Notices of Race and Sailing Instructions will be issued or amended accordingly....

To help assure that the round robins in match racing Acts 6 and 8 will be completed, even if the wind is not as cooperative as it was in Valencia:

+ For Malmoe, Thursday 1 September will be a "reserve day" not an "off day" (likewise Thursday 6 October in Trapani).

+ For Malmoe, Friday 2 September -- the first day of the fleet racing Act 7 -- will also be an Act 6 reserve day and used, if necessary, to complete the match racing round robin. However, this only if it looks like both Saturday and Sunday will be sailable and, therefore, it is likely beyond a reasonable doubt that three of the five fleet races scheduled for Act 7 will be completed (likewise Friday 7 October in Trapani).

+ For Malmoe, races may be started (warning signal made) an hour later -- up to 19:30 instead of 18:30 -- since that far north there is still plenty of light later in the day. Same is under consideration for Trapani, subject to sunset times, course locations, towing distances, etc.

+ Courses for match racing Acts 6 and 8 may be a single lap (windward-leeward, 2 legs of 3.o nautical miles each), which would make it easier to get in three flights per day if necessary. However, all Act 7 and 9 fleet races will remain minimum two laps.

Other race ops issues agreed:

+ Starting line entry-end assignments for Act 6 will be the opposite of Act 4, i.e., if Shosholoza had starboard entry against Mascalzone Latino in Act 4, Shosholoza will have port entry against Mascalzone in Act 6. For Act 8, entry will be assigned according to the 2005 ACC Championship standings (a la Act 4).

+ We will switch to using high point scoring for the ACC season championship. Thus the season championship will now be scored the same as the fleet-race Acts -- 12 points for first place, 11 for second, etc. -- and similar to the Valencia Plan CSS scoring system (which is also high point, but 11 points for 1st, 10 for second, etc., since with Alinghi not counting there are only 11 teams).

Other issues of note confirmed (status quo):

+ There will be no MDS program or ACM/MDS weather boats at either Malmoe or Trapani.

+ Only one race need be completed in fleet racing Acts 7 and 9 to constitute a series.

A number of race ops issues pertaining to the 2006 Acts were also discussed and tentatively agreed, and these will be the subject of another post shortly.

All involved with the CC appreciate the constructive, consultative approach of Regatta Director Dyer Jones, and the good working relationship with Alinghi's Hamish Ross.