The W-P Fleet will score the 2023 June, July & August series itself using a different scoring system that correctly scores DNCs.
If the W-P scoring differs from CLYC ClubSpot scoring, W-P sailors will be told to refer to the correctly scored results rather than the ClubSpot results in order to determine their standings during that monthly series.
If final rankings are different, 2023 Trophies will then be awarded based on the rankings from the correctly scored results rather than the ClubSpot results.
Problem Statement:
ClubSpot incorrectly scores DNC (“Did not Compete”) results for races categorized as “Sub-series” such as the W-P Fleet’s June, July & August Series which are also scored as part of the “Seasons” Series. Competitors register for the Seasons and then are automatically registered for the sub-series.
Per the current Racing Rules of Sailing and CLYC precedent prior to scoring with ClubSpot, DNCs for the monthly series were scored based on the smaller number of boats in that series, say, June, rather than on the larger number that competed in the Seasons.
In this Example from 2020, ClubSpot’s current erroneous scoring would have awarded a trophy incorrectly:
The St. Pete Scorer program correctly scored the 2020 Seasons DNCs as 10, and DNCs in the June Series as 7 (click on a table to magnify):
But if the one DNC in Race 6 that was included in Liza Barnard’s June score (the second DNC in Race 5 was thrown out) had been scored by ClubSpot as 10 as in the Seasons instead of 7, Liza’s score would have been 20 instead of 17 and Jim Colville erroneously would have been awarded the 3rd place June Series trophy instead of Liza.
Ideal solution: Get ClubSpot to correct their system by allowing users to choose to score DNCs differently in sub-series from overall series.
The solutions proposed by the W-P Fleet Captain:
Score the monthly series separately rather than as ‘sub-series’ of the seasons. This would require scoring each race twice – once as part of the monthly series (e.g. June) and again as part of the Seasons. This would double the workload for scoring the W-P Fleet but we only had 8 boats competing in 2022. The CLYC Scorer turned down this option saying it would create opportunities for errors.
Other Changes in ClubSpot proposed by the W-P Fleet Captain:
It is impossible to determine how else ClubSpot might be able to score the W-P Fleet correctly because there is no users guide publicly available for their system. But the following may or may not be 3 more ClubSpot options:
1. BF Open/Ladies use of ClubSpot’s "Division" categories correctly counts DNCs: For example, the 2022 DNCs for Open competitors were scored at 13 points and for Ladies competitors at 7 points (below). Could ClubSpot define 3 divisions for the W-P Seasons that each apply to only the respective races in each monthly series?
2022: Open & Ladies Butterfly Results:
2. Score DNCs as a function of the number of boats in that race rather than the series: If ClubSpot can score DNCs based on the number of boats in that Race rather than the Series, then it would be acceptable to the W-P Fleet to score a DNC in a particular race as just 1 or 2 points more than the last place boat’s score in that race rather than based on the number of boats that compete in the entire series.
This approach would have the additional advantage of avoiding the ‘registration problem’ which happens because DNCs are based on the number of competitors registered rather than the number who have actually competed. The problem arises in two cases:
a. when a competitor who has registered never competes so the DNC scores decrease by 1 when that competitor is deleted from scoring in order to correctly score DNCs for the series per Rule A2.2 (“If a boat has entered any race in a series, she shall be scored for the whole series..”) This correction was never done during the 2022 season as CR-3 was erroneously included in the final scoring but never sailed in any race. I had registered in anticipation of receiving a replacement mast but on arrival the mast was bent. Unfortunately this ‘never sailed’ correction can only take place after the final race in the series thus presenting skippers with incorrect score differences relative to their competition during the series and which might cause the standings (rankings) to change after the final race.
b. when a competitor who has never registered competes in a race during the series so the DNC scores increase by 1 as soon as that competitor is added to the scoring. Unlike a Regatta such as the WMYA where competitors can be expected to register in advance, regular CLYC races may have additional boats added during the season as sailors’ plans change or boats are sold.
These problems are most dramatic on the June Series scoring which ClubSpot can change at any time during the months of July and August, potentially changing the June rankings well after the series was ‘in the books’ and the perpetual trophy awarded.
The registration problem historically caused significant work for the Scorer to correct when using St. Pete Scoring because all prior races with DNCs had to be re-scored.
This option was rejected by the CLYC Scorer, saying all fleets are going to use the USRR A5.3 scoring system - we cannot do custom scoring for individual fleets.
3. Enable the W-P Fleet to score the monthly series on ClubSpot. If the scorer does not want to do the additional scoring requested, the W-P fleet could do it. All that would be needed is access to the ClubSpot scoring facility so that the Scorer scores Seasons and W-P Fleet scores monthly series each as separate regatta. All could verify finishes in each race are the same between Seasons and monthly series.
Resolution: Because ClubSpot’s error cannot be corrected or worked around for the 2023 Season, the W-P fleet will score the monthly series ourselves using a US Sailing approved program.
If the W-P scoring differs from CLYC scoring, W-P sailors will be told to refer to the correctly scored results that program produces (CLICK HERE) rather than the ClubSpot results in order to determine their standings during the series. Trophies will be awarded for the three series based on rankings from the correctly scored results rather than the ClubSpot results for the monthly series if they diverge.
