The gold and silver fleets continued for the 2024 French championship…and better. Explanation :
In order to make the French championship accessible to as many people as possible, the principle of two gold and silver fleets is being renewed as last year, with further adaptations.
The objective last year, with forecasts of strong to very strong winds, was to allow the technically fair runners to be classified without being out of time on the one hand and to have time to refuel between the innings to follow, on the other hand.
By registering in the silver fleet, these riders chose to run all the rounds in a single lap instead of two.
If the objective was to make racing in strong winds more reasonable for the less experienced, it turned out that in light or moderate wind, these same runners were perfectly capable of racing the two laps of the gold fleet races.
This year, we are therefore making an evolution by keeping the principle of a gold and silver fleet on the same principle as in 2023 but only from a threshold wind limit. Below this limit, all runners will do the same course whether they are identified in the gold or silver fleet and will be classified indifferently.
The distinction between the two types of course for those registered in the SILVER fleet will be made by the warning signal preceding the departure procedure (the usual 5 minutes). This signal is increased to 10 minutes instead of the usual 5. Less rush for everyone!
For heats run in 1 lap (only for the Silver Fleet), an R flag (like Reduced) in YELLOW color will be sent with the warning signal, i.e. 10 minutes before the start of the starting procedure and 5 minutes before the final start.
For heats run in 2 laps, the traditional ORANGE colored flag will be sent, for all (gold and silver).
To be visible to everyone, from afar, these two pavilions have been chosen to be large: 150 x 90 cm!!
To gain even more flexibility. When everyone does the same course in two laps under the orange flag, the principle experienced at the 2024 spring national in Biscarosse will be used. To avoid having runners out of time, a motor boat will leave X minutes after the arrival of the first, to go up the fleet and take a ranking. He will signal to these relieved runners to go to the next start area and therefore be classified. These runners will then complete a shorter course while being classified, without being out of time.
So, this year for the implementation of the two gold and silver fleets:
Racers in Raceboard or Division 2 will have to register, of their own decision, in the gold fleet or the silver fleet upon confirmation of registrations. This system is therefore applied to both practices.
FOR RANKINGS:
If the R flag is raised, the riders in the silver fleet will be classified in their order of finish and will be included in the general scratch classification Raceboard or Division 2 where the first rider classified in the silver fleet will necessarily be classified in the general classification of the round after the last rider gold graded.
Whether in the gold or silver fleet, any competitor not starting or finishing the race or being disqualified will score the same penalty points counting towards the general ranking.
If the R flag is not raised, all competitors from the gold and silver fleets must complete the same course and will be classified in the order of finish regardless of whether they belong to the gold or silver fleet and the result will include the calculation for the general ranking.
Contact : president@franceraceboard.org
REGISTRATION (word doc to send back by email) :
