SAILING OPINION:THEY WANTED crash and burn and got it. The technical, relatively slow-paced and non-spectator-friendly sport of sailing in it's traditional format wasn't cutting the mustard for modern, marketing-driven audiences so changes were made.

And the result? This week’s latest round of damage from the Volvo Ocean Race is only part of the outcome. Franck Cammas’s hopes on Groupama 4’s of seriously challenging Iker Martinez on Telefonica hang by a thread as the French team plan to complete leg five under jury rig following their dismasting on Wednesday just 600 miles from the finish while leading the damage-stricken fleet.

Third place for the leg seems certain though the way is clear for Martinez to secure at least second place and extend the lead once more after Groupama appeared to be a rising threat.

But this latest incident has turned the spotlight on the extensive list of damage incurred by every boat in this race.

The third generation of 70-footer should, in expectation at least, have been the most reliable thus allowing the crews to concentrate on racing hard. instead the underwhelming stop-start element has been the hallmark of this race so far.

At least one aspect can be cleared up, that of any lingering doubt that fault lies with the crews for pushing their boats and gear too hard. The warning signs have been there since the first leg when Ian Walker’s and Ken Reads’s boats were dismasted, so it is improbable that fault rests anywhere other than the technology and the “safe” limits in use.

It’s not just in the trans-oceanic branch of the sport where this phenomenon can be seen. In-shore, the America’s Cup has completely eschewed its mono-hull tradition in favour of giant multi-hulls which greatly outpace predecessors that were sailable only in narrow wind-ranges and were very unreliable for broadcast TV schedules.

Now we are led to expect giant wing-masted multi-hulls to deliver the same chess-like strategic matches but with the added risk that goes against all best, responsible seaman-like sailing that built the sport. Olympic sailing isn’t immune either.

Under pressure from sponsorship, marketing and television concerns, the world governing body is on notice to get its house in order from the IOC or face elimination or perhaps significant reduction in size and medal count – be more TV friendly, with more spectator appeal that will get the corporate dollars rolling in.

But how exactly can this be achieved? By following the America’s Cup or Volvo Ocean Race route maybe.

Even here, reality bites hard and so does recession, as can be seen by the disappointing size of the ocean-race fleet of six teams, but each featuring the very best sailors, shore crews and technology at a cost that is prohibitive to many aspiring entries.

Finding a path out of what appears to be a mess in the making isn’t easy. The governing body for the sport is principally interested in the Olympics and has little effect on the disparate activities that range from as many as seven round-the-world races in addition to multiple off-shore events and no fewer than 105 “internationally-recognised” class associations, each entitled to hold world and continental championships.

There’s more than enough variety to go around but not enough participants, resulting in stagnation and fractured and factionalised interest groups.

The crash-and-burn group may yet have their ultimate feast, picking over the carcass of what remains of a former sport.