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Break out the Red flags!!

by Sail-World/Ericsson Racing Team on 10 Feb 2006
It seems that racing boats called OCS will need to hoist a red flag in future, to allow them to protest if later evidence shows the race committee might have been in error. It seems this will the outcome, after the VOR independent Jury invalidated Ericsson Racing Team’s request for redress after the Melbourne In port race on Saturday.

The Ericsson Racing Team’s request for redress has been invalidated by the independent Jury of the Volvo Ocean Race (VOR) because the team didn’t hoist a red flag during the in-port race. The Jury has therefore not looked at the evidence provided by the team.

At the start of the in-port race in Melbourne, on Saturday 4 February, Ericsson was recalled by the Race Committee for a premature start and had to sail back to the starting line in order to re-cross it. The Ericsson Racing Team found out later on that there was confusion on the Race Committee boat, which resulted in Ericsson being erroneously recalled. The return to the start clearly affected Ericsson’s finishing position in this race; hence the team’s decision to submit a claim for redress to the international Jury.

Today, Friday 10 February, the independent international Jury of the Volvo Ocean Race has declared the team’s claim invalid. The Volvo Ocean Race in-port races are sailed under RRS (Racing Rules of Sailing) changed by ‘Experimental Appendix Q – Umpired Fleet Racing Rules’.

Ericsson did not display a red flag as required by Appendix Q5.1. The Jury has therefore not opened the case, and has not looked at the evidence provided by the team.

In order to clarify its position and the reasons for the request for redress, the Ericsson Racing Team explains its point of view:

During the race, the team had no objective reasons to put the Race Committee’s decisions in doubt. Later on, once the in-port race was finished, the team obtained footage from the start which was filmed onboard the Race Committee boat.

This footage includes the audio dialogue between the Race Officer and a Volvo Ocean Race official (see below) at the time of the start. It clearly shows that the person who called the line and was standing at the mast, only called Brasil 1 (and did not mention Ericsson). It is the Race Officer, who was (wrongly) standing in front of the mast, who called ABN Amro Two and Ericsson.

In order to use this footage as evidence in its request for redress, the team had to officially obtain permission from the Race Committee. However, and despite numerous attempts, it was not possible to reach the Race Committee and get the necessary approval until Sunday afternoon. The team issued a request for redress on Sunday at 08.00pm, after having acquired the conviction that there was solid ground for a request for redress.


Neal McDonald, Ericsson Racing Team Skipper: ‘We are clearly disappointed by the outcome of the hearing. It is true that we didn’t hoist our red flag. But we had no objective reason to do so. It is only after the end of the race that we found out that there was confusion on the Race Committee boat and that we thought it was legitimate to request a redress. The footage is self-explanatory, so it is sad that the Jury hasn’t looked at it although we respect their decision.’

Transcript of the footage filmed on the Race Committee Boat at the moment of the start:

Peter Moor: ‘I called Brazil. You didn’t call Brasil?’

Race Officer: ‘Um’

Peter Moor: ‘You did not call Brazil?’

Race Office: ‘No’

Peter Moor (presumably over the radio): ‘JT…JT…..apparently there was only one boat called over’

Race Officer: ‘Two boats’

Peter Moor: ‘Two boats who were they?...I called Brazil’

Peter Moor (over the radio): ‘I called Brasil’]


However all might not be quite as simple as the Ercicsson team understand.

White international jury, chaired by New Zealander Jack Lloyd, found that
Ericsson did not raise a red flag and waited too long - until 2200 Sunday
local time - to claim redress.

Jack Lloyd told McDonald that the race committee had the discretion to
initiate its own action if there was any doubt in the mind of the starter,
Ross Wilson, about Ericsson (and not Brasil) being an early starter.

'I don't believe I made a mistake at all,' Wilson said. 'It is quite
clear, absolutely clear in my mind and on my audio tape that there were
two boats over - ABN AMRO and Ericsson.

'Brasil 1 was dead in the water and Ericsson was out in front underneath
Brasil.'

One thing is for sure, without that red flag, we will never know.
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