Thank you for sharing, Peter.

The covid document seems to be self-contradictory. The first sentence says "don't include covid guidance in the event rules". Then it goes on to say that events need to implement covid guidance, and failure to comply can be grounds for a rule 69 violation. Which is it?

It also doesn't include any specifics around mask wearing, social distancing when rigging up, testing requirements, or vaccination certification (which we'll need to address later this year). 

It's disappointing that World Sailing isn't taking a more clearly articulated point of view in its guidance. I could understand this level of vagueness around April of last year. But this pandemic is now a year old.

I think the gist is that WS thinks (and I tend to agree) that COVID restrictions are the province of public health authorities and perhaps of the event venue host, not race organizing authorities. They should not be made rules as defined in RRS. 

I'd tend to look at the COVID protocols as similar to yacht club parking rules. Competitors are informed of them and asked to abide by them, and a breach could [DP] be a basis for a misconduct report. But a boat can't be protested for illegal parking or failure to wear a mask.