Island SC issue statement - Round the Island Race

by Sail-World/GJN on 6 Jun 2006 The website Cowes Online reported that: 'Many among the 53% of the fleet who failed to finish the course accused the race committee of incompetence and raged at the choice of start times which left later competitors with less than two hours to reach the Needles before the tide turned. A postponement to the last start, for Fleet 13, meant that this fleet had no chance of rounding the Needles before the tide turned foul.'

'Other complaints included organisational failures, such as sponsor's stickers arriving by post on Monday - after the event! The ISC will need to take a close look at all its procedures and provide competitors, and sponsors, with real assurances that the failings that led to the 75th anniversary going down in race history for all the wrong reasons, will not be repeated.'

As an initial reply to comments from competitors in this year’s race, Rod Nicholls, Rear Commodore of the Island Sailing Club and Chief Race Officer for the JPMorgan Asset Management Round the Island Race, posted the following statement this afternoon, Mon Jun 05, 15:37 :

'Everyone involved in the organisation and running of the 2006 JPMorgan Asset Management Round the Island Race understands and shares the frustration experienced by the large number of mainly ISC-rated boats who failed to complete the race on Saturday. The Island Sailing Club cares passionately about its flagship event and about our competitors – particularly those that are perhaps taking part in their only race of the year. Through the efforts of literally hundreds of people at the Club, we take great pride in ensuring that the race is run as professionally as possible and that every competitor, no matter the shape and size of boat, has an enjoyable and rewarding race.'

'You'll understand, of course, that there are some aspects of the race over which we have little control. We can't control the wind and we do have a limited choice of race weekends and resulting tidal conditions. However, as many have pointed out, it's all the more important that we get things right in the areas over which we do have some control. This year, for some of you at least, we didn't. Clearly we could have done a better job in organising the starting sequence to allow for possible problems with the later classes in light airs and, for those concerned, we would like to extend our sincerest apologies.

'Even after 75 years running this great race, this year's experience shows that we have something to learn and room for improvement. Thank you all for your comments, both good and bad. Please keep them coming. I promise you we will listen to each and every one and will discuss them fully when the Sailing and RIR Management Committees meet in the coming weeks. We will then let you know what steps we are taking to ensure that we give ALL competitors the best possible chance of an exciting and enjoyable race in 2007.'

Cowes Online: http://www.cowes.co.uk/cb/zone?p=story;story_id=1697

Event website: http://www.roundtheisland.org.uk