How to Win
Firstly, what is the medal race? Well at least in theory it is the race which decides the medals at important regattas like World Championships or Olympic games. It is a short (maybe half the length of a fleet race) double points scoring, compulsory race (that sailors must race unless injured and must count in their total score) that in theory decides the medals. Although a standout performance could mean if there is a big enough points gap between places then a medal(s) is decided before the final race. For some, the medal race will be the most important race of their lives.
In many classes the standard of competition is so high that people winning with a ‘day to spare’ is becoming increasingly unlikely but it is definitely not impossible. Indeed, a match racing element can now happen before the medal race to create this point gap but more likely there will be some match races within the medal race as sailors can only
