Just morbid curiosity, but what sorts of “cheating” have been tried?
A number of schemes have been attempted. By far the most common is also the most innocuous: A very fast run is flawed by a timing bobble, someone blocks the video camera at a crucial moment, a radio link fails, etc. It is not uncommon for the timing crew to “interpolate” the time, and attempt to ratify it. Though potentially perfectly innocent, this is very much *not* allowed. Timing crews are often provided by the entries themselves, or are subject to bribes, nationalism, even enthusiasm for breaking a record at *this* event. The WSSR observer for any event must not have any ties to any entry, and almost always must be from another country than the one hosting the event. The WSSR is very quick to de-certify any observer allowing questionable runs, and their observers are scrupulously conservative and honest. Other outright cheating incidents have included two sailboards, wearing the same number, to cooperate in “switching” during runs at crowded events; the starting boat not being the
