FRA is making a double tack in front of ROE. FRA is head to wind when ROE goes behind on starboard tack close hauled, ROE have small change to aboid collision. ROE move slowly forward building separation. FRA decide to complete the tack with 2-3m between the boats, but drift to leeward leaving ROE with no chance to avoid collision.
Jury: Craig Mitchell (Chair) - IJ - GBR; Jean Miltiade Bouyoukas - IJ - FRA; David Hudson - IJ - RSA (remote); Alessandro Pezzoli - NJ - ITA; Tom Cheney - GBR.
Wind was 14 knots with a 1m swell.
45 seconds to the start of race one in the middle of the start line 10 lengths back.
Solano close hauled on port tack and Essentia close hauled on starboard tack.
Essentia bore away approx 10 degrees to dip Solano.
Solano tacked onto starboard and established an overlap 2m to windward of Essentia while tacking.
5 seconds after completing her tack Solano slipped sideways making contact with Essentia which caused damage.
Neither boat took a penalty.
Solano failed to keep clear as a windward boat and broke rule 11, she also broke rule 14 by not avoiding contact. When it became clear that Solano was not keeping clear it was not reasonably possible for Essentia to avoid contact. She did not break rule 14.
Solano DSQ in race 1