The ISORA Technical Committee has stressed that competitors' views expressed in the offshore racing association's open WhatsApp group did not influence the decision to cancel Saturday's season-ending James Eadie Race from Pwllheli to Dún Laoghaire.
The clarification followed a discussion among competitors about the respective responsibilities of race organisers and individual skippers when difficult decisions have to be made over marginal offshore racing conditions.
As previously reported by Afloat, Saturday's approximately 75-mile race was cancelled on Thursday because of the weather forecast and concerns over boats having to make delivery passages to Pwllheli ahead of the scheduled 7.30am start.
Public Discussion Before Race Decision
The subsequent fleet discussion did not dispute the cancellation itself, but raised the question of whether competitors should publicly express concerns about forecast conditions before race officers have reached a decision.
One view expressed was that public warnings about conditions could put organisers in a difficult position if they subsequently elected to proceed with a race and damage or injury occurred.
The discussion also raised the more sensitive question of whether competitors' positions in a series could potentially complicate such pre-race interventions.
Other contributors took a different view, pointing to the benefits of competitors sharing local knowledge and experience, particularly where crews may be unfamiliar with challenging areas of an offshore course.
The debate also touched on the range of boats competing in ISORA and the responsibility of organisers to consider conditions appropriate for the fleet as a whole.
'Not Influenced By Competitors With Their Own Agendas'
Responding to the discussion, the ISORA Technical Committee said decisions regarding racing are made by the committee with guidance from the race officer.
It stressed that the James Eadie decision was not based on conversations taking place in the association's open WhatsApp group.
“We are not, and will not, be influenced by competitors with their own agendas,” the committee said.
The committee said it had been following the forecast from Monday onwards and had received professional advice as conditions developed.
Sharing Experience 'Improves Safety'
ISORA also defended the value of competitors discussing conditions among themselves.
The Technical Committee said it does not discourage conversations between competitors, describing the sharing of experience, skills and knowledge within the fleet as a “healthy model of collaborative sailing”.
Such discussions, it said, can improve safety by helping competitors understand potential issues before going to sea.
The committee also stressed the fundamental principle that the decision to race ultimately rests with each skipper.
Organisers Also Have Duty of Care
At the same time, ISORA said the organising authority has a duty of care towards the fleet and takes into consideration boat movements both before and after each race when making decisions.
That point was particularly relevant to the James Eadie cancellation, with some boats requiring delivery passages to Pwllheli before Saturday morning's scheduled start.
The cancellation brought the 2026 offshore series to an earlier-than-planned conclusion, with Pata Negra already confirmed as Wolf's Head Trophy winner and ReQuest securing second overall following the loss of the final race.
