Race Directors need to cater to everyone equally and unfortunately
that doesn't always happen on the water. One example I'll give is
from the 2008 Mid-Winters where there was only a smidgen of a
Longboard/Hybrid fleet this year. Just 2 Hybrid boards and about 8
Longboards in A Fleet. Though we showed up and paid the same
registration fee we only got to race in the light air as did the Kona
fleet. The few hours the wind was up each day the Formula Fleet was
doing or trying to do back to back races so they had the start
line. Yes I know the event is billed as the Kona and Formula North
Americans so I shouldn't really complain much. Still I think you
get the picture of what's going on and why perhaps the other fleets
are dwindling at that event. At the Island Style Classic in
Sarasota the last two years there has been two courses, one close to
shore and one out farther in deeper water to accommodate the Formula
fleet. They have the manpower at the Sailing Squadron to do that
and that's great but most event organizers don't have the resources
to set multiple courses.

Another example I'll give is the US Windsurfing National Champion
title in recent years comes from the Formula Class winner not the
Open Class Longboard racers as it did for many years. I race in
the Hybrid class so I'd like to know why the 1st place finisher in it
can't be crowned National Champion?

An idea I have to equal things out is that perhaps events should go
back to one course for all with twice around legs for A-Fleet, once
around for Sport Fleet and a shorter upwind for Workshop Fleet.
There may be some new course layouts developed but my idea is
everyone in A-Fleet would be going the same distance. In most events
everyone in A-Fleet would start together unless you had like fifty on
the start line then the race director could divide up the classes
into two A starts. In a larger event like the US Windsurfing
Nationals the time of the first finisher in each class would be
kept. The best average first finisher time of each class would
determine which class the 1st place National Champion came from, the
class winner of the class with the second best 1st average finishing
time would get 2nd place National honors and so forth. That way
winners from all classes end up on the final grand title podium. I
think that format promotes some good competition between the
different groups. Even though you are out in front of your class
during a race you still are racing the clock so there is no holding
back. Currently when the wind is down the Formula racers don't go
out because they don't want to scholog around their big course.
So going back to a smaller sized course might be beneficial in that
it could keep them on the water in lower winds.

Hope to hear some feedback and other ideas.
The Alum Creek Race in Columbus is this weekend ! I'm going!

Scott Haas - #H - Prodigy One Design