http://www.nbcolympics.com/sailing/resultsandschedules/index.html
Watch a whole race by going to "Rewind"
RSX 1st race on Monday.
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http://www.nbcolympics.com/sailing/resultsandschedules/index.html
Watch a whole race by going to "Rewind"
RSX 1st race on Monday.
Looks like a tough venue– light wind & big chop. It reminds me of the amazing level these sailors are on.
Dan Burch, I and a few other mortals sailed in the trials in Savannah with the real contenders in '96. It was pretty special that we were even allowed to be there– unique in the Olympic trials world that there were no qualifiers to get there. Anybody could enter.
Dan & I were humbled and awed in a big way. In regional racing we were usually in the hunt, but after a couple of days, he and I were near the bottom of the 30 board fleet, (me particularly). I bailed after a couple of days while Dan sailed the whole week. The set-up in Savannah was remarkable. The small boats were ferried out to what we called "WaterWorld", a series of barges connected to form a several acre island at the mouth of the river. There were hundreds of sailors and support crew there, all buzzing with the prospect of what might happen.
/.
thanks for the link...
The wind looks just barely be over the 6 knot minimum....or is it 8?
Alan
....
Alan
...... Bueller
Alan
After watching the Women's first race, I just don't see how a non-windsurfer would be attracted to the sport. It sure didn't look fun. I felt tired just watching them pump all round the course for 40+ minutes.
I wonder if the conditions were stronger if it would look more fun? At least maybe on the downwind legs they might be planned up and scoot'n.
Oh, to make things even more interesting, in addition to the light winds, I noticed lots of clumps of green alge still floating all over the course and huge container ships going by not too far upwind.
More info at http://www.rsxclass.com/
Bill Herderich
When badminton gets more coverage and is more exciting to watch than our favored pastime, maybe it's time to consider another venue to showcase the real deal. How many newcomers are going to feel the urge to drop 2-to-3 grand on windsurfing equipment after watching these athletes monkey-humping their rigs through spinach caserole for the better part of an hour! BTW, I think Dave Stanger could take the gold this year...
tc / thin'air
Well, I don't think the Olympics is really much of a draw for any sport. How many people take up luge after watching the winter games, or Beach Volley ball after the summer games. I do think that the x-games might be a better showcase, for windsuring, though. But why not do both.
If there is such a thing as the "Olympic ideal" it is probably better exemplified by those competing in Olympic windsurfing, than most of the other big money sports. The competitors who made their national Olympic teams worked hard, and did so for little, or no financial reward. They are truly competing for the love of the sport.
The RSX, however, is clearly not the way to go. The old IMCO was a much better representation of modern windsurfing than that thing. Plus, harldly anyone can get an RSX
To see what the IMCO can do in the right hands, take a look at this: :shock:
http://www.forum.lbwindsurfing.com/windsurfing-videos/tribute-the-imco-t459.html
Looks like fun to me!
What happens in a black hole stays in a black hole.
Nice video.
I agree about the Olympics not being a draw for most sports, but I seem to recall one of the arguements for going to the RS-X was to be more representative of the sport and to try to attract more folks to windsurfing.
Bill Herderich
I'll bet you an old Naish wave board there were people in the right climates / locations who took up luge and beach volleyball after watching those sports because they could somehow identify with what they saw. I'm not disparaging the participants in windsurfing at all. I'd just like to see them rewarded with a venue to showcase the sport and their abilities. I mean it's not like the IOC hasn't known that the sailing site has summer algae and no-wind issues for a few years. North winds are forecast for Friday when sailing resumes - hope we'll see something that looks more like fun.
tc / thin'air
I took up beach volleyball for a while, but I look downright wierd in a bikini.
BTW - everytime I click on one of the rewind things (even for the RSx), I get a stupid laser race or something like that. How do you get the RSx?
What happens in a black hole stays in a black hole.
Yea, it's screwed up. I just keep trying different ones. Wednesday was an off day for RSXs I think. There should be some RSX on there tonight. Good commentary from Jobson if you have that on. Good racing in FINNs, women's 470, Lasers, Yngling, and great story in Stars: US skipper made it after 7 trials (28 yrs!) Old guys rule! How cool is 49er?
edit: no racing today for lack of wind... Tornados begin Fri.
Hey, hey, HEY! Let's leave off with the judgements on our personal lives and stick to windsurfing!
btw, Yessir, I think Stanger would be right there.
As one of the other Charleston Lost Boys told me (in one of the biggest understatements ever):
"He doesn't like to lose".
I can't figure out how to view any windsurfing...??
Only RSX races on video were Mon 8/11. Interesting that Jobson apparently didn't deem it worthy of providing commentary. In an aside on another video he offered that WSing was badly in need of rebooting its program to bring in young sailors.
Anybody see the Finn & 49er racing on Sunday? Wild stuff. Would have been cool to see the big dog WSers in that wind.
RS:X Class President-Rich Jefferies; Marietta, GA
http://www.rsxclass.com/management.htm
I don't recall seeing any RS:X's at Allatoona...
Bill Herderich
The Medal Races for 'Monkey Humping' are up on the NBC site. Very close racing for both men & women. Stand-in for Jobson does good commentary. I think Jobson thinks WSing is the ugly stepchild of sailing.
Laser Radial (women) is pretty fun to watch also– USA!, USA!