Should the Code 0 gennaker be used at the Olympics

Looks like measures have outlawed the pelican striker on the spinnaker poles Booth and Lovell developed for the code zero.

http://sailjuiceblog.com/2008/08/08/you-ca...olphin-striker/

Though looking at the class rules, I can not see how the pelican striker breaches the class rules.

Rule F.5
Page 22

http://www.sailing.org/tools/documents/200...Rules%20190208-[5103].pdf

I still can't see it.

F.5 BOWSPRIT
F.5.1 MATERIALS
(a) Bowsprit materials are optional.
(b ) Bowsprit spar stay materials are optional.
(c ) Bowsprit-to-forestay extension strut materials are optional.
(d) Gennaker retrieval system materials are optional.
F.5.2 CONSTRUCTION
(a) The forward end of the bowsprit spar shall be plugged or capped, and
blunt.
F.5.3 FITTINGS
(a) MANDATORY
1) Gennaker tack block
2) Stays from the bowsprit spar gennaker tack block position and the
bowsprit mid section to the hulls
3) Attachment point fittings for the jib tack and/or jib luff tension
(b ) OPTIONAL
1) Attachment point fittings for the bowsprit-to-forestay extension strut
and jib sheet.
2) A gennaker retrieval system may be attached to the bowsprit or be
integral to the construction of the bowsprit. It shall be suitable solely for
the purpose containing the gennaker and shall not violate rule D.6.2.d.
F.5.4 DIMENSIONS
minimum maximum
Bowsprit spar diameter 38 mm -
Distance of bearing surface of the gennaker
tack lead from the forward edge of the main
beam, measured with the gennaker halyard
pulled tight and the bowsprit fitted to the boat
in its normal sailing position
4000 mm
F.5.5 WEIGHT
minimum maximum
Bowsprit spar, gennaker retrieval system,
fasteners, tack block, halyard/tack line block,
internal tack line and brace stays
2.2 kg -

Though click on Tornado at the official notices link - http://www.sailing.org/olympics/racing/officialnotices.php and the measuring comittee has sail NO to pelican striker

Tornado measurment

THURSDAY 7th AUGUST - FRA
SATURDAY 9th AUGUST - AUT, CHN, GRE
SUNDAY 10th AUGUST - ITA, UKR, NED
MONDAY 11th AUGUST - GBR, ESP, GER
TUESDAY 12th AUGUST - USA, BEL, ARG
WEDNESDAY 13th AUGUST - AUS, CAN

Looks like Bundy and Ashby will be able to decide on weather or not to use the code zero after watching everybody else make the call.

Tornado footage in Athens (When there was wind)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vj5JkAe-ZkI

Just noticed (Been a little slack) that New Zealand decided not to send a Tornado team despite Aaron McIntosh and Mark Kennedy quailfing NZ in Feb. Only 15 boats at the regatta.

That's poor form form NZ.

Stephen,

I think the measurers are leaning on

what is not expressively allowed is forbidden

clause. A bit silly in this instance in my opinion.

We discussed this striker earlier, before we knew about the sail to go with it. Did not make sense to me then, but now it does.

Yes, makes you wonder if it would have been banned if they were using conventional spinnakers.

I dont think so.

Booth has measured in with his code zero.

http://sailjuice.squarespace.com/

Booth has measured his, Bundock and Ashby have chosen not to measure theirs, we will see what Lovell and Ogletree decide to do. I am having difficulty understanding the pelican striker as an issue.

My guess is that they have binned the pole as the measurer is saying that the pelican striker is part of the pole and so makes the dia > 38mm?

http://www.sail-world.com/USA/index.cfm?...amp;tickerCID=0

I think that the reason behind that was the number of atheletes NZ could send and they ended up being cut from the team for that reason. I may be wrong but that is my interpretation. I friend of mine from canada had a similar incident during one of the previous Olympics in which he made the Olympics only to have the canadian body cut his event from participation. Could you imagine making it that far only to be left home. Much like all of the Olympians from 1980 when carter boycotted the Moscow games. I have a few friends who were on either the Sailing team or the Gymnastics team who are still upset over that one.

Imagine the publicity if it turned out all NZ sailors are not old and fat like their commitee and the NZ Tornado team won a medal. I even want the US Tornado team to come second to rub US Sailings nose in it. Perhaps we need the French Rainbow Warrior team to sink some keelboats for us <img src=

alt=

/>.

Aaron and Mark never made the team (they weren't cut). The NZ olympic committee has very strict qualification procedures requiring consistent performance at the top level before you get selected (even if you do qualify). Basically you need to be a member of the

team

to be able to afford to compete at all the required international events, but without attending and doing well at these events you can't get into the team. If you don't have money left in your account from an AC campaign or well funded parents, its almost impossible to break in.

Then why did another nation not be given the oportunity to fill the slot NZ decided not to fill.

I am sure the other nations that were on the fringe of qualifying are real pissed off.

The sailors who would have got the tickets surely are dissapointed, but I dont know if their national association would be dissapointed? Spending more money for a very slim chance of medaling? I dont subscribe to that line of tought, that is not what the olympics are supposed to be about.
How the russian and georgian teams, or the other european teams for that sake, can participate in the olympic games when we have war between two european states dont fit well with what I understand the olympic games to be about either.

Agree there. Forgot what nation it was, but they gave up their Finn spot to India. India hadn't qualified, but now have the opportunity to be at the games and promote sailing the in the country with the 2nd biggest population.

Top 4 teams that were still to qualify at the NZ Worlds were to take up the remaining 4 slots.

The top 4 teams in order were....
Canada, Austria, New Zealand and the Ukraine

The next 4 teams that were seeking to qualify in order of how they finished at the Worlds......

Russia, Puerto Rico, Brazil, Poland and Venezuela

I believe Booth was seeking a wildcard entry for Puerto Rico, one of the teams (along with the US) that were involved in their code zero training camps. They were denied.

I believe that the Georgian government was looking to have their team come home from the games. I think that would be another tragedy for the athletes from georgia.

I think the worst part is that there are some residents of the state of Georgia (USA) who are currently sitting in their bomb shelters wondering why the

Rooskies

decided to attack them and not California....

Come on, even the dumbest redneck knows that although both Georgia and California used to be Soviet Republics, Georgia has since become a pro-western democracy. That's why the Russians are invading Georgia, not California.

That is not all of it Tom. It is a tragedy for all who live there, all the soldiers and all the families touched by this. The olympics is about peaceful competition, both in history and symbolism. No nation at war should be allowed to participate in a celebration of peace in my opinion. None!
Unfortunately the modern games is about the IOC and money instead so it will not happen.

(I see the further tragedy for the athletes from the countries of Georgia, Russia and soon maybe Ukraine also of course. They already have increased pressure on them, and angst. Latest I heard was the georgians wanting to go home, but the IOC convinced them to stay)

If that were truly the case (no country at war could/should compete) then the competition would be greatly limited. The U.S. would be out and any other country that had any type of military presence in a location with some conflict could be construed as at

war

. What about countries battling terroism they would be considered at

war

within its own borders.

Not to open any controversy or hijack the thread (please don't go off on this tangent), conflicts of all kinds are always going on how do we distinguish who to leave out and who stays?

I'm sure if you checked with the average

Joes

in any country they wouldn't be fighting at all. The old saying (at least here) of

get rid of all the politicians and the world would be a better place

... well we'd just get new politicians. <img src=

alt=

/>

Heck, I'm rambling... probably have no clue as to what I'm trying to say. Lets all go sailing.

Clayton

Perhaps denying participation at the olympic games to countries at war would make politicians think twice and help form public opinion. Would that be so bad? I take it you would not like it if the USA was refused entry and perhaps ask why? Perhaps you would even raise a stink about it when your athletes had their dreams broken? I know I would if Norway was refused entry.
Looking into the history of the games, this was one of the ideas behind at least the modern games.

We can discuss the foreign and domestic policy of the USA, but that was not the point. I mentioned Russia and Georgia as they are both part of Europe.

Certainly potential for another thread here.

Rolf,

You seem to be making the argument that the war in Georgia is less important than the Olympics.

1980 and 1984 show that nations (including Norway) are quite willing to boycott the Olympics to make a political point. To think that they'd put participation in the Olympics over national security concerns is hard to reconcile with that.

I am sorry, but I dont see how what I have said can be read like that? I am saying that my opinion is that nations at war should not be allowed to participate in the olympic games. That dont mean that the games are more important than the tragedy of war.
I dont say Norway is any better than others, we are not. We are even worse than many others in certain areas.

Rolf,

I'm sure you didn't mean to give off that impression.

But bemoaning the damage done by this war to the sanctity of the Olympics, and hoping that the threat of being kicked out of the Olympics would deter future wars, seems to trivalize war and aggrandize the Olympics.

Sorry for the threadjack.

It is one more reason to not go to war certainly, but my focus is the olympics not the national decision makers, if that makes sense.