Just trying to be helpful.
I have to admit that I am not watching other people’s problems unfolding/unraveling. I just hear it while concentrating on controlling my own boat.
With credit to Judy and the thousands of great pictures she took and posted of the 2016 NCR…

How to not hit a stbd tack boat while sailing to weather in high wind
1. Notice that you have a problem early enough to do something about it.
2. Simultaneously push the helm down and sheet out the sails.
3. Notice that the boat is heading down and is hopefully going to miss the right of way boat.

Or you can choose to possibly hit the stbd tack boat
1. Notice the you have a problem.
2. With the sails still sheeted in, push the helm down.
3. Shout that you pushed the helm down and the boat did not respond.

That must be a learned automatic 2 part response.
In the first image, I have realized that I have a problem and have already trimmed the sails out and put the helm down, and I am praying that the boat will respond.
The two lead boats are sailing on stbd tack to the offset mark. I am sailing upwind on port tack to the weather mark.
Scott

It would really be neat and educational to know the time interval between each of those frames. Perhaps Judy could look up the clock time on each for us. I'm sure it is very short. And as Scott says Notice Early, a tough thing to learn and do.

Notice Scotts boom dragging in water and preventing his quick ease.
Good job Scott on preventing a collision, as is seen in later frame by other boats.