For when too much is more than enough. Yesterday certainly offered heaps. This morning was plenty, and by this afternoon, it was still too much. An extra hour’s wait ashore seemed more than prudent, and the additional one after that was also wise. In the end it became a challenge to work out if you felt more for the waiting and expectant athletes, or the Race Committee out on the water judiciously watching their instruments, and the Internet for workable data, as the breeze held steadily in the 20 to 30 knot bracket.

Ultimately the abandonment of the 49erFX and also the Nacra 17 was more than the opera soprano warming up. By 1500hrs AEDT the choice to abandon all for the day became self evident in the end. What made it tough was that at Frankston over on the other side of Port Phillip the Easterly breeze was only operatin in the 12-18 knot range.

So apart from the wellbeing of the athletes themselves, you would not want to hurt the boats too much, as spares could become an issue in this the year of an Olympics, when they will want to have a good stock pile to work from.

The Australian sailors are all set to see just how well all the preparation and endless hours on the water have gone. Abating weather for the week will mean racing should become easier to conduct until the medal races on February 15.

Australian Sailing Team (AST), Australian Sailing Squad (ASS) and other Australian entries (AUS) at the 2020 49er and Nacra 17 World Championships at Geelong:

Nacra 17 (38 entries)

Jason Waterhouse and Lisa Darmanin (AST)

Nathan and Haylee Outteridge (AST)

Paul Darmanin and Lucy Copeland (ASS)

Miles Davey and Dervla Duggan (AUS)

Steven Brewin and Karma Randall (AUS)

Jake Liddell and Bec Hancock (AUS)

Emma Jones and Hugo Hamilton (AUS)

49er (80 entries – three fleets of 25+, three days qualifying nine races, then finals and medal race)

Will and Sam Phillips (AST)

David Gilmour and Lachy Gilmour (ASS)

Tom Needham and Joel Turner (ASS)

James Grogan and Simon Hoffman (ASS)

Oliver Manton and Jack Lloyd (AUS)

Matt Jerwood and Max Paul (AUS)

William Bridge and Joshua Sloman (AUS)

Hayden Harding and Casey Bates (AUS)

John Cooley and Thomas Cunich (AUS)

Jim Colley and Shaun Connor (AUS)

Hayden Brown and Mackenzie Bird (AUS)

Harrison Sly and Thomas Dwyer (AUS)

David O'Connor and Fang Warren (AUS)

Beau Junk and Alexander Marinelli (AUS)

Dylan Janus and Conor Hay (AUS)

49erFX (45 entries)

Amelia Staback and Caitlin Elks (ASS)

Natasha Bryant and Annie Wilmot (ASS)

Tess Lloyd and Jaime Ryan (ASS)

Tessa Parkinson and Ella Clark (AUS)

Laura Harding and Laura Thomson (AUS)

Chloe Fisher and Ella Grimshaw (AUS)