News 2024

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Category: News 2024

STATEMENT - Safety and Responsibility Protocols

ISORA held its AGM on Saturday 2nd November 2024.

In opening the meeting Stephen Tudor tendered his resignation from the role of Honorary Secretary of ISORA. A role that he thoroughly enjoyed since 2010.

In that time a small team of dedicated volunteers worked tirelessly to promote offshore racing in the Irish Sea. The fleets grow, and by the introduction of technologies ISORA kept ahead of the game in providing fair and competitive racing.

In recent years, and more so in 2024, the sailing calendar has become even more congested with competitors making last minute decisions to compete. Crew exhaustion being the most quoted reason not to sail. This crowded calendar has resulted in reluctance to see races postponed or cancelled.

We have carefully read the ‘Marine Casualty Investigation Board’s’ (MCIB) report into a marine casualty involving the sailing yacht Jelly Baby in Cork Harbour in October 2021.

The report findings concludes that the Organising Authority can’t delegate all responsibilities to the Skippers (the Risk Statement) and it does place a higher duty of care on the Race Management Committee than what was appreciated previously. Although, some, including ISORA Officers, argued that this duty of care was always there.

We believe that the obligation to keep crews safe was always taken seriously and was always considered before all ISORA races. We always assessed the ability of the fleet to cope with the conditions expected in the race. This assessment of risk always considered the abilities of the least experienced boat, and crew, in the fleet.

It is now, however, very clear that in the event of an incident, or accident, during an ISORA race the crew would be scrutinised. The skipper would, of course, be held responsible for the safety of the crew and boat, the Race Management Committee would be challenged for putting the fleet in a position of danger, the Organising Authority would be questioned on its involvement and its role in ensuring compliance with World Sailing Offshore Rules, and the Governing Bodies would be responsible if all guidelines and rules were not followed by the affiliated body. Everybody is in the firing line!

In August this year this assessment of risk resulted in a race being postponed. The risk was clear and undeniable, and most accepted the decision without hesitation.

We are not prepared to be placed in a position of unreasonable risk. But more than that, we do not want to carry the burden of guilt for the rest of our lives on the loss of a friend, competitor or sailor.

The Hon Sec stressed to those attending the AGM that the role of race management in organising offshore racing has changed. We are responsible.

Chairman requested that the Hon Sec resignation is withdrawn subject to a thorough review of all safety and responsibility protocols. The resignation was withdrawn on this basis.

We are reaching out to our governing body for guidance, and for protocols.

The ISORA officers require clear guidance and a workable format for managing and the mitigating the risk. This will involve a significant amount of effort from all parties involved, and we are prepared to contribute positively to this work.

The work involved include, but by no way limited to, the following:

  • Reinforcing the ‘Risk Statement’
  • Strengthening our ‘Race Risk Assessment’,
  • ‘Protocols’ on when races should not be run,
  • Ensuring compliance with World Sailing Offshore Guidance.

As a starting point we urge all skippers to consider using the Skipper Briefing Template which has been on the ISORA web site for many seasons.

We do wish to see the continuance of Offshore Racing in the Irish Sea, but this must be in a safe and sustainable manner, and for this to succeed we must all play our part.

Stephen Tudor MRICS FNAEA MARLA

Hon Sec ISORA

 

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Category: News 2024

 ------ The K 2 Q Results Are Published Here -----

 

The Results for the Series so far available here (after the K2Q)
Overall Series and by Class 

 

 

ResultsSmall

Follow the above link for all Races in Ireland and UK

Musto

The results will be published shortly after the race has finished - just follow the link to the results page .............

 

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ResultsSmall

The Overall Winner of the 2024 Musto ISORA Series for the prestiguous
Wolf's Head Trophy is
Ruth
Congratulations

Class O  Champion is Mojito

Class 1 Champion is Coquine

Class 2 Champion is Ruth

The Winner of the Welsh Coastal Series Sponsored by Plas Heli is Jackknife

The Winner of the Irish Coastal Series Sponsored by Viking Marine is Indian

The Winner of the Team Trophy is Pwllheli Sailing Club

 

The Race Results are available here

The Overall Series Table is available here - including Class Results

 

 

 

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Race Report from AFLORT IE

 

 

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Race  Report from AFLORT IE

 

 

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This article fropm Volvo Cork Week:

Entries are continuing to flow in for the next edition of Volvo Cork Week which will take place from Monday 15th to Friday 19th July 2024. Since the inaugural event in 1978, this biennial regatta has always attracted a diverse fleet and a large number of international entries.

The warm Irish welcome, competitive racing, and excellent onshore entertainment provided to all Cork Week competitors has seen yachts return, year after year.

Many of the larger keelboats from the east coast of Ireland, as well as Wales and Scotland are expected to arrive in good time for the start of the event, having completed “Kingstown to Queenstown” ISORA race from Dun Laoghaire to Cobh in Cork Harbour). This race was first held in the year 1860 and the next edition will start in Dun Laoghaire ISORA on 12th July 2024.

Read more: VOLVO CORK WEEK 2024

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Click on image for a pdf copyISORAPwllheliBerthPlanMay

 

 

2022Schedule

2025 Class bands are anticipated as follows:

Class 0 = 1.070 or greater
Class 1 = 1.010 to 1.069
Class 2 = 1.009 or less

2025 bands will be published before the first Race.

 

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The Association is run by volunteers for the benefit of competitors by working in partnership with boat owners, crew, yacht and sailing clubs, other associations and the governing bodies for boating in Ireland, Wales and the UK.