Oi RYA

[Guest]

Why is there no sailing in the commonwealth games?
Just seen the opening ceremony and the only sailor there was Ellen carrying the baton for 50 yards or so.

All those small islands must have sailors too.

 

[Guest]

'Cos they closed the Manchester Ship Canal years ago

 

[ruthhobson]

Closed?? No one has told the boats I see almost everyday!!

But they are using The Quays for swimming in the triathlon!! Rather them than me...

(Salford Quays is also home to a very nice new water sports centre - and offers very, very cheap RYA dinghy courses.)

Ruth

 

[ccscott49]

I think your a little wrong there, they may have closed the entance, but the water and the boats are still there! as is the docks and an RYA training centre, funny that eh?

 

[jamesjermain]

Whose fault

Is this the RYAs fault?

If so do we blame the British Ski Federation for the lack of a Winter Commonwealth Games and the FA for no football tournament and the Hockey Federation... and the Tennis people... and the...

JJ

 

[halcyon]

Re: Whose fault

The netball girls got into the games, so the wife keeps telling me, so it is possible!!

Brian

 

[ccscott49]

Re: Whose fault

Heh! We are asking why theres no sailing, I don't care if theres no skiing, bad argument! Yes, we do blame the RYA, they are the "regulating body" aren't they?

 

[ParaHandy]

Re: In the hot seat (again)?

James to the rescue............the RYA's getting it in the neck again.

In the latest RYA rag (circulation 80,000+ more than whole of IPC rags) you had the Rt Hon gent for transport "in the hot seat". Now, I know you're not Paxman, but thought you might have stuck the boot in when he waffled about a "bit of competition to RYA being a good thing" etc. Had the Minister asked the MCA to make appropriate inquiries as to the fitness of this organisation? (the MCA are good at this - they took a long & hard look at ABP's fitness to tackle the Humber Pilots dispute and thought a pilot trained on a peddalo could guide supertankers in) Did the Minister feel that another training organisation would enhance one of the key objectives he has set the MCA which is to improve safety at sea? etc etc

Do you actually sit face to face with these people - "live" so to speak - or will they only accept written questions?

 

[salamicollie]

Entrance is defintely still open (if not at Salford quays) - the bottom end is still very much alive with commercial traffic - I had share it in my 28ft on the way down from the Weaver to the Mersey

 

[ccscott49]

Seems cornishman is a little out of date? or seeing into the future, perhaps?

 

[pugwash]

If Manchester can hold its shooting in Bisley (Berkshire?) it could hold its sailing in Cowes, Conway or wherever.

What struck me about the parade was all those oldies. Not just officials but the lawn bowlers, shooters, etc. Inspiring for the rest of us gerros.

 

[EdEssery]

Re: Whose fault

...and the Hockey...

 

[coachone]

Sailing is on the list of sports approved by the commonwealth games committee and can be included in the bid cities' list of sports that they will provide competition for.Neither Manchester or any other host city has ever chosen to do this.
The reason given is that a sailing event would be expensive to organise and only a relatively small number of Commonwealth countries would field a team.There is also the question of proximity of a suitable English venue from Manchester's perspective.
In order that a better case can be made to the CGC and the Melbourne organisers of the next CG, a Commonwealth countries"demonstration regatta "has been organised next winter in Melbourne. It is hoped that there will be a good turnout and that as a result sailing will be better able to press it's case for inclusion.
For the record the rya is in support of sailing being part of the commonwealth games it would be a good opportunity for the racing sailors in all the home countries.

 

[ruthhobson]

Yes - commercial traffic gets as far as Salford (not alot but it gets there)! Ask the motorists who are held up by the bridges opening on a regular basis.

If I remember rightly - if Manchester got the Olympics they were going to have sailing in Wales ?? So they must have looked into the feasibility and facilities for running a similar event.

Ruth


<P ID="edit"><FONT SIZE=-1>Edited by ruthhobson on 26/07/2002 14:54 (server time).</FONT></P>

 

[coachone]

you are right.... Pwllheli was considered if Manchester got the Olympics, but whereas Wales is part of Great Britain and the Olympic bid was British. Manchester is part of England and the commonwealth games host nation is England ...so it's difficult to go to Wales.

 

[ccscott49]

Does that really matter? What a load of old oily bilge! Not your comments, the thought of it all! IMHO

 

[Guest]

Re: Whose fault

I'm not getting at the RYA, though they are the representative body for the sport. Look at the money poured into the youth team, the olympic team and see how the profile of sailing has been raised.

I believe the main reason it will not be included, is the simple fact that it is a participant's sport not a specator's. Televising it is difficult, and watching the average race would be like the proverbial paint drying exercise. Much like golf, though a lot of people seem to be glued to the telly during the recent open.

Much cheaper to have a commentator wetting himself over an athletics event where someone has run a thousandth of a second quicker than 4 others.

 

[peterb]

Isn't the Lake District somewhere near Manchester? How about Windermere?

 

[cgull]

Did you see Norris from Coronation Street?

 

[Jeremy_W]

It's very hard to lay Olympic trapezium shaped courses on Windermere because of the lake's shape. Also, like most lakes in steep-sided valleys local knowledge is very valuable. Olympic sailing is meant to minimise the value of local knowledge to give everyone a fair chance.