Seems to me that the event was a success. However, I can't find results for Youth or Olympics teams anywhere, including on the US Sailing site.
I agree, I loved all the two lap races vs. three laps.
But what was up with that F16 class general recall...?
I never heard a horn.
Surely it's the flag that is important. Sound is a bonus.
This is a popular misconception (I was guilty of it for a long time, too). The sound is actually a required part of the Race Signals, not a bonus. Race Signals are rules. The sound signals are also specifically required by RRS 26, 27.1, 27.3, 29.1, 29.2, 32.1, 32.2, 33(a), 33(b), 34 and 40.
Of course, RRS 26 also states: "Races shall be started by using the following signals. Times shall be taken from the visual signals; the absence of a sound signal shall be disregarded."
This is where people get confused. This part of RRS 26 specifically allows for sound failures of start signals to be disregarded. However, a good judge will tell you that this is limited to the start signals: Warning, Prep, One-Minute, and Start. The RRS makes no attempt to state that this applies to any other Race Signals or rules listed above, so it does not.
Having said that, for all intents and purposes, this has no effect on general recalls, other than to delay getting the boats to come back (you can hunt them down with a chase boat). It also doesn't matter (much) to PFDs required, shortening course, or abandoning or postponing a race, because the end result is the same, you can make any sort of loud noise (whistle loudly with your mouth, etc.); and no jury is likely to award redress (it would be extremely difficult to prove that a missing sound signal in these cases prejudiced one boat).
But, this issue has been known to come up in redress hearings for OCS, change of course, and missing marks, and has had mixed results.
BTW, a LOT of time is spent on signal errors (including how, when and why it's OK to ignore them or not) in the Advanced RC seminars.
Mike