Challenge for the mathematicians / statisticians – handicap system for One Design Class to improve engagement.

Could a One Design class (non-Olympic) include a Handicap result system as well as line honours? Would this increase the engagement of new racers and retain racers for ones that fall outside the optimum design parameters of the class of board/rig configuration?

Scenario: say Windsurfer One Design – for the benefit of a sailor at 50kg or 100kg where the optimum may be 75kg in the majority of wind conditions.

What if sailors of various sizes, age, experience and proven results could be incorporated to a formula to give a “Fair Handicap Result”, what could the formula look like? And do you think anyone would really care about a handicap result? Would a handicap system encourage racers outside of the sweet spot for ideal weight range?

A thought could be to use a discount or loading to an over the line result taking into account:

1. Wind strength average between the start of the race and the last racer over the line as an average in knots between the two.
2. Weight of the racer, dry weight prior to start of each race day, championships included over several consecutive days.
3. A “Par” system for experience as a loading, if you are placed No.1 at the previous National Championships (or whatever event had the Most competitors), you incur the highest skill loading, say like golf “Scratch”. If you came last (position 100) in the last ranking event, you get a 100 point loading to assist you in corrected time allowances. Thus encouraging improvement for corrected time result.

Any thoughts? Or is this a pointless question?

Thank you for your reply post @tonymatta,

Great point regarding current scoring software that clubs use over a long period of time, just wondering if a + or - results loading could achieve a simple solution to allow for weight categories/bands at championships or smaller sample group regattas? Should weight be a benefit or handicap IF all the gear is a controlled one design

Would it be possible as a mathematical solution, or would it be more like a dart board science? Other than the sailors outside of the optimum weight range for the gear would it really matter or would anyone really care?

Or, would it be better/easier to stick to weight divisions (weight bands 55 - 65, 65 - 75, 75 - 85, 85 - 95 kg etc...) and just report line honours for weight division only.

Should a handicap system even be considered

Eg. Only reason for the inquiry is that when you look at offshore yacht racing like the "Sydney to Hobart" yacht race, super maxi's win the Line honour category the majority of the time but the rating / handicap system adjusts for other factors for other starters and pushes the line honours winner to beat their impairment against them.

Could this be something to improve engagement, with a Fair Handicap system

IBM said..
Challenge for the mathematicians / statisticians – handicap system for One Design Class to improve engagement.

Could a One Design class (non-Olympic) include a Handicap result system as well as line honours?

...

Any thoughts? Or is this a pointless question?

It's a very good question. I know several racers who stopped racing long ago because they had no chance against lighter racers who'd plane earlier.

The Kona One class uses a simple system where the sail size is based on body weight. Sail sizes for men range from 6.6 m (under 65 kg) to 9.8 m (from 98 kg), see class.konaone.com/Page/718/class-rules/. I participated in one Kona One race with 16 racers in conditions ranging from light to fully planing. The handicapping worked quite well, with final results determined by skills, not by size. More details about my impressions at boardsurfr.blogspot.com/2014/05/i-love-kona-racing.html

Besides the sail size handicap, two other things helped to make the races fun and fair: the board design, which works well for different weights; and the no-pumping rule. Kona One is also affordable, and a well-established one design class, with 106 competitors at the 2014 Kona One World Championship last November.