M_Boats: Jib sheets

I was just looking at the cover of the May Sail magazine, a fleet of boats racing toward Golden Gate Bridge. At the clew of the jib of the boat in the foreground there is what looks like a small (6"-8") loop of cable through the grommet along with the jib sheets. Does anyone know what that loop is for? I thought maybe to keep jib sheets from hanging up on the mast, like mine do, of perhaps an easy way to attach a whisker pole? M15 #200, Wee Fun Kevin