Analysis of race officials’ mistakes in sailing competitions

The article presents the results of systematic pedagogical observations of race officials’ activities during 23 sailing competitions (2021–2024). The study focuses on analyzing judging mistakes, decision-making patterns, and communication dynamics within officiating teams. Based on a developed observation protocol, 253 mistakes were recorded, with the majority being technical failures (54 %), human-factor mistakes (42 %), and rare but most complex rule interpretation mistakes (4 %). The research found that competition duration correlates with mistakes frequency: in 6-day events, the number of mistakes reaches 13–15, with fatigue-related mistakes increasing toward the final days. Time spent resolving mistakes varies from seconds (technical issues) to 24 hours (controversial situations). The study proposes recommendations to optimize officiating: enhanced technical oversight, standardized protocols for disputed cases, adjusted work schedules, and specialized judge training. The findings can improve the quality of judging in sailing.