COVID 19 continues to affect our everyday activities of life, whether home, work or leisure. How will it affect our coming hard water season and what are the IDNIYRA Governing Committee’s plans? Here are a few Q&As to help keep you informed.
Q: Will the 2021 Gold Cup happen?
A: We don’t know yet, but we have plans in place and a decision-making schedule. There are also decision-making schedules for the North American and European Championships.
Q: What is the decision-making process and schedule?
A: The Governing Committee will hold a conference call on November 24th, 2020 to decide whether the Gold Cup (24 – 30 January, 2021) can be held and the decision will be published forthwith after the meeting. This allows two months lead time for the regatta, both for the organizers and for those competitors who need to plan international travel.
If the Governing Committee decides that the Gold Cup cannot be held, we will plan on running a 14-race North American Championship like years where the Gold Cup is in Europe. Of course, a North American championship requires that both Americans and Canadians be able to attend, at the very least, but given that Americans and Canadians normally drive to the event the go/no go decision can be made several weeks later than November 25th.
If the Governing Committee decides that the North American Championship cannot be held, we will plan on running a US-based, US Championship during the same period as the scheduled Gold Cup and North American Championship. Canadian members might decide to run a Canadian regatta in the same period.
The IDNIYRA EU National Secretaries will hold a conference call on December 19th 2020 when they will decide whether the European Championship (21 – 26 February, 2021) can be held.
Q: What criteria will the Governing Committee use for decision-making?
A: The key criterion for decision making is whether people can travel. As of October 11th, 2020:
- The Canada-US land border was closed to non-essential travel (with a few exceptions),
- Most Europeans were prohibited from entering the US for non-essential travel,
- All non-Canadian citizens or permanent residents were prohibited from entering Canada for non-essential travel,
- Americans were either prohibited from entering European countries, or could enter some countries only after quarantine,
- Some American States and Canadian Provinces had internal travel restrictions or quarantine requirements, and
- Many European countries had travel restrictions or quarantine requirements for travel within Europe.
Under these conditions, neither the Gold Cup nor the two Continental Championships (North American and European) could be held. How can you hold a World or a Continental championship when no international competitors can attend? It would fail the most basic measure of fairness.
As of October 13, 2020, we are seeing increasing numbers of COVID 19 cases internationally. Should this increasing trend be reversed, governments may be prepared to relax border restrictions and quarantine requirements. Re-opening the Canada/US land border to recreational travel would allow a North American Championship to be held. Re-opening of trans-Atlantic travel would be required for the Gold Cup to be held.
Q: Does the Governing Committee have contingency plans?
A: Yes.
We are planning for the best case of a Gold Cup and the North American Championship but prepared to run just a North American Championship or a US Championship. Our Race Committee volunteers are predominantly American and Jody Kjoller, our Vice-Commodore, is prepared to step in for John Curtis, our Canadian Regatta Chair, should travel restrictions remain.
Whatever happens we recognize that our registration numbers may be lower than normal so we will endeavor to reduce regatta costs and fees. We expect that public health considerations may reduce or even prohibit large indoor social gatherings, which would coincidently reduce our financial risk. We are also considering delaying purchase of keeper prizes until after registrations are known, even if it means that prizes are mailed to recipients after the event.
Q: If we do not hold the 2021 Gold Cup, where will it be in 2022?
A: The Regatta Management Agreement, Paragraph 7(a) says that the regatta be held “alternating between continents, even if the previous event was not sailed.” If COVID 19 forces cancellation of the Gold Cup it is no different than losing the regatta due to a snowstorm. So IDNIYRA EU will host the 2022 Gold Cup.
Q: If we do not hold any ranking regattas what will it do to my ranking?
A: Potentially, ‘nothing’. Your rank is based upon your best finish in the previous two Gold Cups, North American or European Championships, so if an event is not held, the two previous events still count for ranking purposes.
Please feel free to engage the Governing Committee if you have further questions. We are committed to offer racing this winter subject to constraints that might be imposed by COVID 19.
