The differing but complementary roles that Olin and Rod had within S&S were another of their great strengths. Olin would muse over hull shapes, keels, rig proportions and their relationships with the appropriate rating systems while Rod oversaw the development of structures, deck layouts, rigging schedules and detailing.

In a sunny New York City on 20 October 1970 a team of FBI agents scoured the buildings on both sides of Manhattan’s Madison Avenue between 28th and 29th Streets. Questioning shopkeepers, janitors and secretaries, they gave special attention to the offices overlooking no79, a dull 16-storey building on the east side. From early the next morning uniformed police banned all parking on the block and kept pedestrians on the move. They vetted every entrant to no79.

But no crashes happen; really, nothing exciting at all. Despite my proximity to the action or the unflagging enthusiasm of commentators, the whole thing has the emotional stakes of watching toys floating in bathwater. The twisty path, whose contours aren’t outlined to live spectators, diminish the innate satisfaction of watching fast things go zoom; it isn’t quite evident who is in the lead.