Update Issued 16 July 2020
Dear all,
There have been further developments in the short period of time since our last communication. In particular, as anticipated, some new guidance from the government on the reintroduction of team sports.
The department of Digital, Culture, Media & Sport has produced something called the return to Recreational Team Sport Framework, read for yourself;
In essence, this now shifts the responsibility onto a sports national body to make a request to the dept of DCMS to be allowed to commence activity. Of course, there is an up and downside to this, the upside is that we now have a clear route to follow, the downside is we need to persuade the RYA to make the representation to DCMS. Currently, we are speaking to the RYA but are still awaiting a response from them.
Now that this shift of accountability has happened, my hunch is that we will not hear anything else generally regarding returning to normal sporting activity, it will all be in the hands of national bodies and the department for DCMS. This could well be the case long into next year. If we have any hope of returning to crewed yacht racing, I think this process is the only show in town. Notwithstanding, of course, the arrival of a vaccine sometime soon!
If we are able to achieve a good result from this process, then we can again, offer fully crewed racing, should folk wish to take part. It will be entirely up to individuals, whether or not to take part of course, just as it would be under current RRS, NoR, and SI guidance. However, I suspect this to take a little time to be resolved, so keep breathing!
For the time being there will be no fully crewed IRC & NHC racing on Sundays. Any races scheduled are currently postponed. The plans in place for Pursuit sailing are not affected by this statement. Pursuit sailing is currently proceeding, using government guidance for family and social interaction, with social distancing. It is each participant's responsibility to follow this guidance strictly.
Robin Stevenson
Racing Secretary
Posted: July 10th 2020
