Section 4: Players & Officials
4.1 Crew Composition
- Singlehanded (ILCA 6, ILCA 7, iQFOiL, Formula Kite): One athlete per boat.
- Doublehanded (49er, 49erFX, 470): Two athletes — a helmsperson and a crew.
- Mixed (Nacra 17, 470): One male and one female crew member.
4.2 Race Committee
- Principal Race Officer (PRO): Responsible for setting courses, managing the starting sequence, and deciding whether conditions are suitable for racing.
- Course-setting team: Mark boats that lay and adjust course marks based on the PRO's instructions and wind shifts.
- Signal boat: Displays visual signals (flags) and sounds (horns) that communicate the starting sequence, course changes, recalls, and postponements to the fleet.
4.3 International Jury
At Olympic and major World Sailing events, an International Jury hears protests and resolves disputes. Jury decisions are final and cannot be appealed (unlike national-level events where protests can be appealed to national authorities). Jury members are experienced sailors appointed by World Sailing who have passed the International Judge certification examination.
4.4 On-Water Judges and Umpires
In certain classes (particularly match racing and team racing), on-water umpires follow the boats and make immediate penalty calls. In fleet racing, on-water judges may be assigned to enforce Rule 42 (propulsion limitations) and can signal penalties in real time using a yellow flag.