Page 131 - Judge Manual 2017

This chapter discuss some of the situations that may affect judges at a classified
event. The Commission is available to provide assistance and guidance to
officials at all times and can be contacted via the World Sailing Office at
classification@sailing.org or, in urgent situations, via the Chairman of the
Commission, whose details are in the World Sailing Yearbook. Where a referral
is urgent the Commission can usually respond to or investigate a situation within
a short time if you say the information is needed urgently.

Classification problems can provoke strong reactions from competitors and the
boat owners. Changes in classification can require a change in a crew list close
to the regatta, with impacts on a boat’s ability to train and compete. It is known
for legal proceedings to be threatened and for legal representatives to contact
the event organizers. In the event of such problems, make immediate contact
with the World Sailing Office and the Commission as they have experience of
similar issues and will usually be able to help.
O.2 Notice of Race/Sailing Instructions

Where the class rules do not do so, the Notice of Race or Sailing Instructions
should contain crew limitation rules which mention sailor classification.

For example, a boat may be limited to the number of Group 3 competitors who
may be on board, or the helmsman might have to be Group 1. It is important
that the requirements are drafted clearly and unambiguously. Model wording
can be found in the Guidance Notes mentioned above and should be used
wherever possible.

It is for each class or event to decide how they wish to use the classification
system; World Sailing does not require that any class or event must do so. The
only requirement is that, if classification is used, the World Sailing system is the
only system that can be used.

Some classes have additional requirements, such as prohibiting helmsmen who
have competed in an Olympic Games or America's Cup within the last ten years.
These are not classification requirements and are permitted. It is also permitted
(and recommended by World Sailing) that a class or event deems a competitor
who does not hold a valid classification to be a Group 3 competitor for the
purposes of the crew limitation rules.

However, it is not permitted to have a rule which states that a certain type of
individual is or is not Group 1 or Group 3. Only World Sailing can make this
decision.
O.3 Spot checks

For some events, a Commission Member may attend registration and conduct
interviews with competitors. The Commission Member has the power to change
the classification of a competitor at the event if there is a good reason to do so
(e.g. if the classification is wrong).

The presence of a Commission Member should be stated in the Notice of Race