HLS (Hebbert-Lucas-Sammons) System
The HLS (Hebbert-Lucas-Sammons) system is a method by which an incomplete Round Robin may be scored. It is a combination of scoring and tie break rules and a specifically structured schedule. The System was introduced in the early 2010's, initially for single day inter-school events, however and has since become a well establised effective and adaptable method by which to provide a ranking for teams at many events from School to university to National Championships.
HLS Stage
At the heart of an HLS Schedule is a full Round Robin. However the combination of the schedule and scoring rules allow a stage using an HLS Schedule to be ended and scored after any number of completed races. The accuracy of the ranking produced improves with every race completed towards the completed Round Robin. To ensure the fairest outcome from the stage, teams must be randomly drawn into the stage; attempting to seed an HLS will have a negative effect.
The HLS Schedule
An HLS Schedule is structured and optimised in a number of ways, each schedule is generated by a computer algorithm and is specific to the number of teams and number of flights being used at the event.
Balanced Number of Races
Teams sail as near as possible the same number of races throughout the entire schedule. eg. in a 12 team event, each team will have sailed two races after race 12, four races after race 24, six races after race 36 and so on.
- Balanced Changeovers
With teams always sailing a similar number of races, changeovers are balanced throughout the schedule. After every race one team will change out of the boats they are racing. Unlike some schedules, an HLS schedule is not written to minimise changeovers; therefore while for the most part the schedule provides single changevers where one team changes after each race; after a certain point in the schedule an increased number of double changeovers may be required. - Balanced Matches
An HLS Schedule is ordered and written in such a way that no team will have the same set of opponents until the round robin is complete.
The Scoring System
The scoring system is dependent on the particular method of round robin scheduling and cannot be used with a manually produced round. Should an HLS round robin be completed; it can be scored as a complete round robin in the normal way. The scoring system can be applied at any stage of the Round Robin and a ranking produced. Teams are initially ranked on percentage of races won, the tie breaking rules are then designed to prioritise a teams' own performance between the tied teams. If a tie is incomplete, then the teams' performance against all their opponents is considered before evaluating the quality of the opponents they have sailed and beaten.
Advantages and Limitations
As with all schedule and scoring formats, there are certain compromises made. The following summarises some of the benefits and limitation of the HLS system which have become known during it's usage.
Advantages
- Teams sail two races at a time and then have a break; providing sailors with a regular pattern of sailing throughout an event.
- Teams are provided with a known schedule for an entire stage of racing.
- A team can assess their own performance throughout the stage and be provided with an immediate ranking after each of their races.
- The whole event team can settle into a rythym with regular changeovers meaning unnecessary delays and holdups are minimised.
- The Race Management team can end the stage at a time that facilitates the onward progression into and the completion of subsequent stages.
- Should an event be impacted by weather or other factors, a ranking can be provided for the event. (See also limitations!)
- Limitations
- The inclusion of points within the Tie Break(s) encourages teams at lower levels of team racing to continue racing to the finish; however for higher quality events or those in 2 boat teams, it can be a less than ideal assessment of performance.
- Teams can percieve that they have a hard "draw" particularly if the stage is ended early. This can be exascerbated when subsequent stages are also impacted (for example by weather).
- Race Management teams are often tempted to end the stage at a "break point" where all teams have sailed the same number of races. For larger entry events this can mean a stage ending earlier and good sailing conditions being missed.
- When a Protest Committee gives a race wins penalty to a team; a balancing points penalty is needed to ensure the penalised team is not then advantaged within any subsequent tie. This is a conceptual leap where points penalties would normally be applied at a race level and not at a stage level.
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