Al (3854) passes a pinching Tony (4105) who alas had few palatable options, the mark being quite close. Still, he might have been well served to tack at this moment, while he could still cross Bill (937) and then tack back into a nice, comfortable layline position. Given that Al is easily laying the mark, Bill meanwhile, is also pinching, when he really has no need to, and this is ... 

Had Tony done his sheeting correctly, he would not now be facing the ultimate disaster: three boats on starboard about to call him. These boats (l to r: Andrew, Colin, John, Dave) should be easily crossable for Tony under normal circumstances (note the relative mast heights!), but Tony barely has way on after his butchered turn. A tack at this slow speed here is virtual suicide, but it's very hard to make yourself bear away for three boats that have been well behind you until moments ago.

So, Tony gives in to human nature and tacks into the hopeless position. Tacking here at full speed might have let him have a long-shot chance at pinching up and rounding the mark without hitting it, but with virtually all forward speed gone, even before he tacked, there is absolutely no hope. Not that I haven't done this a few times. This is no attempt put Tony down, one of my best sailing friends, but rather a lesson in strategy and what to avoid.  

Another lesson to be had here is that there's always hope: John is among the tail-enders here, but will go on to win this race!! How slowly was Tony moving by this time? Watch his relative position to Andrew Gumley (4610) who in this photo has to be 2-3 lengths to leeward and one length astern of Tony. Seconds later ...

... passes astern of Colin and is just able to cross Andrew without a foul. Mary getting the jib drawing would be a bonus here, too!! Wisely, Tony attempts no tack right here where he would then be sure to foul Andrew. Tony still hasn't had really time to get Trouble (aptly named for this sequence!!) up to proper speed, and so comes out of this tack astern of ...

... Andrew who just moments ago was well behind. And Tony is still so speed-starved that even Dave (l) who is completing one of his worst-ever first beats, has been getting dirt from Andrew and is now having his wind partially blocked by Tony's sails, will still end up giving Trouble trouble. Meanwhile, note that Jamie (green deck) is about to do the "Krauss special".

... it's too late, and he, too, is forced to gybe away. Sound familiar at all??!! Note how Jamie's main is at least partially eased, but their leeward heel is making the boat want to luff up, a tendency they are fighting with their rudder, which in no way helps their speed. And Tony's troubles are still not over: Having come out of his nth tack in less than a minute, his speed is still low, which in turn makes his rate of drift high, and he now has trouble keeping clear of Dave to leeward. Ultimately, they ...