WORLD CLASS ???
tasar:
Sunday's Worlds was a travesty of sportsmanship. While W lie with "unknown" injury, the race continued. Any other sport players from both benches show their respect for a fallen competitor as play is stopped. It was with disbelief, we witnessed DNers enter and round the mark, showing no regard for W, only yards away. What were you guys thinking ? Is the class that callous, perhaps wreckless, that winning truly trumps decency ? What kind of organization of a supposed "world event", have so little regard for their competitors, and yes, bystanders. Many witnesses, some DNers, quickly realized the sport needs supervision. Where was the on ice paramedic ? If W's injury was life or death based on immediate intervention, the class failed him. Where was the crowd control ? Had any been hurt as boats scattered around the carnage, what make's you think lawsuits wouldn't come your way ? Why isn't there safety protocol for all, as we watched the few respectful competitors risking life and limb, by waving off fellow racers ? Why wasn't a black flag IMMEDIATELY put in place, especially on the windward course leading to the wreck ? Where indeed were the monitors about the entire course, with phone in hand, communicating ?
This class needs to look inside themselves. There are serious flaws, frankly, somewhat unbelievable. The class talks alot about the future, promoting participation. There are arguably many of us that refrain from racing, and today's events fortified those reasons. Sure, we all know the perils of this activity and choose our paths, but the lack of simple SAFETY measures, is INEXCUSEABLE. It's really a case not for what happened, but what did NOT happen. "World Class" sports put safety first ! For this, the DN Class is an embarrassment !!!
Ken Smith:
This post is a bit coarse, but it brings up a topic we need to air out. THere are some good points made.
By the way, the class grants redress should assistance of anyone in distress were the cause for a loss of a race. If that were to make anuy differnce.
dn4379:
First; no one was seriously injured. Secondly, five racers stopped to assist. Thirdly, a nurse and an orthopedic surgeon were on the scene as quick as possible, with stretcher, first aid kit, and electronic defibrillator.This is standard equipment we have ready at our major events. Find me a sailing class that has anything even close to this. The injured sailors were found to be stable and transported to shore. The EMS people were standing by at the launch when the "injured" sailors arrived at the launch site.
Yes, it can be a dangerous when competitors make poor decisions in tight situations. That is why we are prepared so well.
Racing was suspended for the day after this race because it was determined that the bright sun shine on the glare ice was impeding visibility for starboard tack boats approaching the weather mark.
Fortunately the boats absorb a lot of energy when they collide. In other words, the boats break instead of the people. It is just wood.
W incidentally, is doing just fine; walking, talking and enjoying his scotch.
On one point, you are correct sir. We should have black flagged the race in this instance; however the race only lasted another twelve minutes or so. We diligently debrief at the end of each season and update our protocols as necessary.
Our By-Laws require that members be Corinthian. We would appreciate if your future contributions to our class discussions
kept that in mind.
Sincerely,
John Harper Commodore IDNIYRA
4695:
$0.02 and some strong words...
The volunteer race committee didn't have the information or means to suspend the race...
In the Corinthian Spirit, Five Sailors Stopped to Assist?
And that's somehow good?
That means 40+ failed to do so!
The moral, and imho slightly less important, legal obligation of "a Sailor" to render assistance to Any Soul In Peril on the Water (hard or soft) is Ancient, it's Timeless, it predates all recorded history and law, failure to do so is criminal in almost every country on earth, people who violate this are generally banished for life from any decision making position on the water, they can't be sailors, once they get out of prison.
Because we race in a dangerous environment, we must hold ourselves to a higher standard.
DN 4695
Class Member
DN4099:
As we are sailing, it can be hard to descern the extent of the severity of a collision. On the other hand, it should be easy to see if someone is hurt and needs assistance. I think it would be prudent if sailors that have stopped to render assistance and immediately feel something is critical that they go to the mark and drop it so that the race committee knows immediately that there is an immediate concern. Race committee members can't see the extent of damage from the finish line and many times spectators at the upwind mark are not much help. It is important that we all render help as we can. At the end of the day, the race means nothing if we let one of our comrades down.
DN4099
Bill Condon
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