Post by fish on Nov 30, 2021 10:14:55 GMT 12
Bay of Islands Sailing Week has been cancelled. Was to be the 20th Anniversary edition.
I really feel for the volunteer organisers, all the work they have put in over a year, for nought.
Three reasons given:
1) Covid restrictions,
2) Skinny funding / sponsorship,
3) Not having enough time to sort out the new dolphin rules.
The thing that pisses me off is the dolphin rules. I've just been trying to explain it to the family. If you see a dolphin while sailing, you have to 'freeze'. The race organisers need a dolphin management plan, so someone needs to keep a look out during the start sequence, and if anyone sees a dolphin, the whole fleet has to 'freeze'...
Fuckign idiots. My kids are asking why DoC are so stupid, why can't they go out and catch rats instead of sitting in their offices making stupid rules?
Dear BOISW Supporter,
It is with great sadness that we write to let you know about the cancellation of CRC Bay of Islands Sailing Week 2022. We understand this will be a huge disappointment to many of you, and we apologise wholeheartedly for that.
Please know that the organising committee have not taken the decision lightly, and over the past few weeks have looked at several options to enable the event to happen in some shape or form. But in the end, the committee felt there was just too much stacked against the event this time around.
Covid is of course a major factor in this decision. The announcement of Northland’s ‘red’ traffic light status indicates that our region’s vaccination rates continue to be low. There is concern that running an event of this size would be irresponsible in light of the risk of transmission of the virus, and putting on a safe event is our primary concern. Unfortunately, we didn’t feel fully confident that this could be achieved in 2022.
On top of this, the regatta has suffered a reduction in funding this year, with valued sponsors and charitable funding organisations hit hard by recent lockdowns. There is understandable concern among some volunteers about being involved with a major event at this time. In addition, a possible shortage of marina berths due to the many covid-affected cruisers who have had to leave their boats here, have added up to a host of organisational issues this year.
You may have also heard about the marine mammal sanctuary which will soon come into force in the Bay of Islands. This adds further complexities to the organisation of this event, which we couldn’t be sure we’d be able to resolve in time.
While any one of these issues would have made this year’s planning a little more difficult, it is the compounding of a number of issues that have forced the cancellation of the regatta at this time.
Thank you to those of you who have already entered, along with those of you who were planning to support the event in its 20th year. We know this is a hard pill to swallow, and we appreciate your understanding.
Refunds will be issued by 17 December for those of you who have already paid entry fees. We look forward to welcoming you back to a bigger and better CRC Bay of Islands Sailing Week for our ‘belated’ 20th birthday celebrations in 2023.
Finally we’d like to mention our amazing sponsors who continue to support the regatta, and have been incredibly understanding in light of this decision. We hope to welcome back our headline sponsor CRC, as well as NZL Sailing Foundation, North Sails, Explore & Otehei Bay, Mount Gay Rum, Bay of Islands Marina, Gurit, Blufix Boatworks, Luxury Real Estate, Burnsco and New World, in 2023.
Best regards,
Nina Kiff
Chairperson, CRC Bay of Islands Sailing Week
I really feel for the volunteer organisers, all the work they have put in over a year, for nought.
Three reasons given:
1) Covid restrictions,
2) Skinny funding / sponsorship,
3) Not having enough time to sort out the new dolphin rules.
The thing that pisses me off is the dolphin rules. I've just been trying to explain it to the family. If you see a dolphin while sailing, you have to 'freeze'. The race organisers need a dolphin management plan, so someone needs to keep a look out during the start sequence, and if anyone sees a dolphin, the whole fleet has to 'freeze'...
Fuckign idiots. My kids are asking why DoC are so stupid, why can't they go out and catch rats instead of sitting in their offices making stupid rules?
Dear BOISW Supporter,
It is with great sadness that we write to let you know about the cancellation of CRC Bay of Islands Sailing Week 2022. We understand this will be a huge disappointment to many of you, and we apologise wholeheartedly for that.
Please know that the organising committee have not taken the decision lightly, and over the past few weeks have looked at several options to enable the event to happen in some shape or form. But in the end, the committee felt there was just too much stacked against the event this time around.
Covid is of course a major factor in this decision. The announcement of Northland’s ‘red’ traffic light status indicates that our region’s vaccination rates continue to be low. There is concern that running an event of this size would be irresponsible in light of the risk of transmission of the virus, and putting on a safe event is our primary concern. Unfortunately, we didn’t feel fully confident that this could be achieved in 2022.
On top of this, the regatta has suffered a reduction in funding this year, with valued sponsors and charitable funding organisations hit hard by recent lockdowns. There is understandable concern among some volunteers about being involved with a major event at this time. In addition, a possible shortage of marina berths due to the many covid-affected cruisers who have had to leave their boats here, have added up to a host of organisational issues this year.
You may have also heard about the marine mammal sanctuary which will soon come into force in the Bay of Islands. This adds further complexities to the organisation of this event, which we couldn’t be sure we’d be able to resolve in time.
While any one of these issues would have made this year’s planning a little more difficult, it is the compounding of a number of issues that have forced the cancellation of the regatta at this time.
Thank you to those of you who have already entered, along with those of you who were planning to support the event in its 20th year. We know this is a hard pill to swallow, and we appreciate your understanding.
Refunds will be issued by 17 December for those of you who have already paid entry fees. We look forward to welcoming you back to a bigger and better CRC Bay of Islands Sailing Week for our ‘belated’ 20th birthday celebrations in 2023.
Finally we’d like to mention our amazing sponsors who continue to support the regatta, and have been incredibly understanding in light of this decision. We hope to welcome back our headline sponsor CRC, as well as NZL Sailing Foundation, North Sails, Explore & Otehei Bay, Mount Gay Rum, Bay of Islands Marina, Gurit, Blufix Boatworks, Luxury Real Estate, Burnsco and New World, in 2023.
Best regards,
Nina Kiff
Chairperson, CRC Bay of Islands Sailing Week
