Bill rounds a comfortable 2nd onto beat #2. Meanwhile, in the minute before they began to douse their spinnakers, the four boats virtually tied for 3rd place, should each have decided what they want to do - strategically speaking - on the upcoming beat: Which tack is currently favoured, so do they want to go left or right? At least some - those on the outside - should expect to need to go left for clear air and be making plans accordingly. What you really don't want to is to arrive mentally unprepared and thus end up pinned and/or sailing in dirt for any length of time here.

Andrew (4610) has a big edge because he is inside here. If I were steering Dave's boat (282) here, I would expect Andrew not to do anything that will give me a break, being the experienced, capable racer that he is.
If I wanted to go left after rounding, I would go slow and as wide as I can get away with (as wide as Jamie in 4594 will let me) and make sure Andrew rounds clear ahead. Then I would round the mark very close and luff up briefly so that neither of the two boats right behind me can prevent me from tacking. A brief bear away for speed if possible, and then I'd tack while the tacking is good!
If I wanted to go right, I would approach the mark at max speed, and sail low around the mark in an effort to break through Andrew to leeward. I would stay as low as necessary until I got into clear air, and then begin to start pointing but always be aware that I can't afford to pinch up into Andrew's wind shadow.

If Dave wanted to tack here, he would/should have held the course he was steering in the previous picture for another length or so. Perhaps he should have done this regardless, since a bit of separation from Andrew would help Dave get through the wind shadow faster if he plans to stay on port tack and go right. One thing Dave needs to watch for is that Andrew is in the classic situation here where it is smart to briefly luff up above closehauled as he rounds the mark, so that he can get all those close pursuers tucked safely in his lee.

... great job. By now, Dave (282) is pretty much stuck with holding port tack. Had he wanted to go left, this would have been a great time for him to luff his sails and slow down while shaving the mark just astern of Andrew. Dave would be able to afford to do this since neither Brian nor Jamie (4594) will be entitled to room at the mark, and would have to bear away to avoid hitting Dave. At that point Dave could then tack. But it's ...   

This same sequence also caught the eye of our other photographer on the inside of our triangle. Here, Andrew (4610) already has Dave (282) where he wants him, overlapped and trapped to leeward. Jamie (4594) is in a very bad spot, and his best hope is to slow down and bear away a bit until he can tack without fouling Brian (6082).  

Dave (282), Brian (6082) and Andrew have all tacked to dig back in towards the middle. If Andrew wanted to play it safe and to protect his 3rd, he should have tacked almost immediately after Dave did. Instead, Andrew has left himself very vulnerable to a possible knock. Of course, he'll be in great shape if there is a lift coming up!