Bob,

My I ask why you think it is wise to give a wild card to a sailor who was present at a large class event over one that actually finished high in one of the larger area qualifiers ?

This sailor may even have ended up lower then 2nd or 3nd in his own qualifier or he may not have attended his own area qualifier at all ?

Surely the Alter Cup should be a fleet race pitching the best against the best ? And how better to determine who is best then by seperating the men from the bouys, ehh boys, at the open class qualifiers ?

Don't you agree that a sailor should get a wild card only because he is a very good sailor that will otherwise be sorely missed at the Alter Cup event. Not because he happens to sail an particulary large class.

There are only a handful of boats in the US Tornado fleet, but still it is probable that such a crew can beat any and all sailors who attended a 40 boat nationals of a different class.

Why should any sailor get a free pass simply because he is lucky enough to sail a particular kind of craft ?

What if the top 5 of the F18 nationals all win their area qualifiers ? Should we then also put number 6th of that event in the Alter cup even when we already know that he is the 6th best of the F18 sailors ? Maybe there are a few sailors of other makes about that will easily have his beacon too, but came second at their qualifiers. Shouldn't they be giving the slot then ? What if some F18 crews in line decline and we end up at the crew placed 10 or higher ?

Wouter