With Botafogo beach, Sugarloaf Mountain and the Rio-Niterói bridge framing Rio de Janeiro's Guanabara Bay, the setting for the Rio 2016 Games sailing competition couldn’t be any more striking. Not that the competitors will be paying much attention; they’ll have their sights set on the finish line during the Olympic regattas. In that regard, someone other than the sailors has the advantage – the umpire. 

 

Usually a very experienced sailor, the umpire has to keep a close eye on the conditions in the bay, including the wind and currents, to help decide which of a series of defined race routes will work best that day for each of the 10 Olympic sailing classes.  

 

Minutes before the start of the race, the umpire, along with other officials from the International Sailing Federation (ISAF) and the Rio 2016 organising committee, will position two boats that define the "imaginary start line". The position of the line has a big influence on the outcome of the race, as much as 50 per cent, according to umpire Cuca Sodré, depending on how the teams adapt to the course conditions. 

 

Sodré was an umpire for the Olympic sailing test event in Guanabara Bay in August, which had six different course options: Copacabana, Niterói, Naval Academy, Rio-Niteroi Bridge, Pai island and Sugarloaf Mountain. Watch Sodré in the video below as he explains the basics of the umpire's job, and shows some of the equipment the officials use, including countdown flags that are being tested ahead of next year's Games.