this comment on SA from matthew watching from a safety boat summed up the event

From watching the different rigs around the course the only conclusion we came to was that everything is inconclusive.

Separating the DNAs from the guys that sailed them was impossible. The same could be said for rigs and sails. The keys were in how each sailor got the best out of the rig that was suited to them. Downhill the fastest boats were those were they were still on out on the wire the whole way down. Some kept boards down for the downhill, while others pulled them up. With so many options and combinations within the boats it is impossible to say this one is faster because"...

I wonder what the result would have been if Ashby, Brewin, Bundock, Barker etc sailed older models with straight boards.
Certainly because they are pro talent you would expect they would be in the top places still.