London Olympics 2012 - Thursday at Weymouth

by Bob Fisher on 10 Aug 2012 The weather is here, I wish you were beautiful. Jimmy Buffett

Race officials all over Britain have been envious of the fortune bestowed on those running the races at the Olympic Games. Solid breeze every day and only a couple of course changes necessitated during ten days of high-level racing. Those who know Weymouth well, even the locals, have been staggered at this consistency, or they were until today. The early morning view of Portland harbour was mirror-like and the forecast was for very little from the south-east, a notoriously fickle direction.

It did not bode well and the Men's 470 medal race was delayed, and delayed, and delayed . . . ad nauseam. Before the clock's hands had made it to four o'clock the sailing for the Women's Match Racing in the Elliot 6 metres had been called off for the day - a decision that had been expected for some time, but the Men's 470s were still lined up at the ready, in the dinghy park.

The air of expectation was low. There was no breeze off the Nothe, the highly suspect course area where the medal racing was due to take place, yet the flags of all nations were flying semi-stiffly over the parked dinghies. One has to ask whether it was mandatory to hold the medal races in view of the general public who were paying large sums of money to a non-Olympic operator, or whether they could be held where there was wind.

The answer, while not readily forthcoming, was that the public deserved to see the culmination of the racing, but the racing could be held elsewhere. It wasn't however and the postponement came at 1630. It should be noted that Sunday is a spare day and therefore there are three more days in which the Olympic regatta can be completed.

The Men's 470 medal race has been rescheduled for noon on Friday, immediately before the Women's 470 medal race. You have been warned, but don't raise your hopes - the weather is here and likely to stay.