Situation
Due to the high number of entries, a single-handed dinghies event was split into groups; they all completed six races in the Qualifying Series, and then progressed to the Final Series with another six races scheduled in two days.

In the second race of the first day of the Final Series, the skipper of Alpha suffered injuries due to an incident with Bravo and was hospitalized. Alpha was scored DNF in that race. Bravo retired from that race for breaking rules 10 and 14. Alpha lodged a protest against Bravo under rules 10 and 14 and requested redress under rule 62.1(b). The day after the incident, Alpha presented a medical certificate validating its inability to compete further in the event. The protest committee decided that Alpha is entitled to redress. The event progressed with 6 races completed in the Final Series.

The sailing instructions provide that each boat’s series score shall be the total of her Qualifying Series race scores and Final Series race scores excluding her worst score.

Question 1
Case 116 refers to a situation where damage occurred: “Before the start of Race 3, A collides with boat B and the damage is so extensive that A is unable to compete in the remaining races of the series”.

Does Case 116 apply also when there is an injury considering that any part of a boat can be repaired or replaced but an injury can’t?

Answer 1
Yes.

Case 116 states that when a boat is damaged, is entitled to redress under rule 62.1(b), and is prevented by the damage from sailing the remaining races, the protest committee should ensure that fewer than half of the race scores included in her series score, after any exclusion(s), are based on average points.

The same principle in Case 116 would apply whether the reason to give redress is based on physical damage or injury.