The part I've never understood is exaclty what they (The Olympic Classes) are supposed to represent? I've read statements by the OC that said words to the effect that the boats had to be "readily available world wide" or "Affordable by every country" and all kinds of other parameters, but we all know it's really inter-class politics, trying to promote one boat over another.
Obviously it's not a race about going fast. I think that's what confuses a lot of non-sailors. All the boats except the 49'r are pretty old (and slow) designs by any measure, the Star, Finn, Laser, even the 470, are all pretty old designs today, let alone in 2016 or 2020.
BUT...on the other hand, being slow, they are much more demanding tactically. If you get a bad start or on the wrong side of a shift, you are not going to catch the fleet with boatspeed from a lucky puff, like you can in cats or the 49'r. You are still going as slowly as they are, but they are further -up the ladder- as they like to say.
So, obviously the Olympics, if they stay with the old designs, is not about speed. I guess it's about who has the best tactics, which is fine.
Personally, I like to go fast, that's why I left dinghys and keelboats for cats a long time ago. That's also why I hate light air I guess. But if the ISAF wants to keep Olympic Class sailboat racing locked in the 20'th (or 19th) century, I'm sure they will.
