It was actually a major mistake. I was currently leading the first race of last years F16 Nations Cup. I had quite a good lead maybe 6 boat lengths with Scooby in second place. This photo was taken on what should have been the last downwind leg. I had just completed a gybe but in the process accidentally released the tackline cleat and as you can see the kite just took off. When I tried to pull the kite down the boat started to gybe and the next second I was swimming. As I stood on the hull preparing to get the boat back up Scooby sailed past with a huge grin on his face, he should have sailed for the finish but was probably so happy to see me go over that he went around the leeward mark and back up the beat. I sailed off towards the finish line and missed the pin end, If I hadn't I would have won the race. If you're wondering why I missed the pin end the Committee boat had forgotten to put up the finishing flag!! Needless to say I subsequently checked the rules and apparently the finishing flag is put up out of courtesy and only means that the Committee boat is on station at the finish area. It's the number of laps which determines the duration and finishing of a race.
It is quite common for the F16 Circus to get the number of laps wrong during the Nations Cup, the previous year we all sailed 5 laps instead of 4 during the Medal Race <img src="http://www.catsailor.com/forums/images/graemlins/confused.gif" alt="" />