I'm catching up here slowly...the F18's did so well because it was a whole lot of tight spinnaker reaching. Their sail plans, spinnaker shape, and lesser sail area than the 20's allow them to point a little better and with a little more speed with the spinnakers up than the 20's. That's why the F18's did so well. For the periods that the wind was light and the angle set for a deeper spin run, the 20's would take off like rockets...but it wouldn't last for long as every day saw the wind clock east leaving a tight spin reach and the F18's stretching into the distance. I've never seen the race with this same breeze day after day....it was nice (except for the crew's hands).