Conduct of Championships - US Sailing
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Conduct of Championships
Regional and national championships are the high points of the year for most sailors.
Well-run events are crucial to keep your class growing.
BY CLARK CHAPIN
treasured sailing experience, a T-shirt, or
Introduction a trophy.
Class championships are the single most
important annual event for most classes. Tools
Participation in the National Championship To accomplish these things, the organizing
Series (NCS) is an important gauge of the authority (usually the class) has to provide
growth or stability of a class and the same is some direction to the host club. This section
true for District or Regional regattas. of the Class Management Handbook
Hosting a successful NCS can also be a big contains examples of how various classes
boost for new or resurgent fleets. The provide this direction. The most important
success of an NCS is due to four factors that aspect of these examples is not that they
are discussed in this section: may be picture perfect for your class, but
• Excellent facilities. There should be that every class must pay attention to these
no hardship on the part of the competitors aspects of the NCS if they want to attract
to attend the event. This includes sailors to their events year after year. There
everything from directions on how to find are four ways for the host club to figure out
the site, parking, mooring, dining, and how to put on an NCS. The only problem is
housing through baby-sitting and the that two of them do not work consistently
location of the nearest marine hardware and another is not recommended.
store. A. Depend on the host club to figure it
• Championship caliber racing. The out for themselves. This is one of the
race management, courses, and judging choices that do not work. If you are
should be a cut or more above what the lucky enough to consistently pick first-
sailors can get at their local club level. rate clubs, you can go for years
This does not mean that the wind never without any effort on the part of the
shifts, but that the race committee sets the class. The only problem is that sooner
best possible courses and runs races or later your luck will run out and boy,
where the winners are determined by will you be sorry! This can be
sailing skill alone, not by luck or race especially disastrous if the host club is
committee action. a fledgling or fragile fleet. Giving the
host club the guidance, they may need
• Hospitality. Everyone at the site
without having to ask is something you
should make the competitors feel
owe to them.
welcome. The competitors have traveled
B. Reinvent your nationals every year.
far and given up valuable vacation time
This is the other choice that does not
to attend. To be greeted with indifference
work. The natural turnover in your
(or even rudeness) would have a chilling
organization will lead to inconsistent
effect on future participation.
results. The good ones will be good,
• Take home something positive. but the bad ones will be awful. This
Everyone at the event should take home also makes for more work for the
something, tangible or intangible, from National Race Committee each year.
the event. This could be something they C. Write the NCS requirements into
learned by sailing against the best the bylaws. This approach works well
competition the class has to offer, a to insure a minimum quality event, but
it‘s not recommended for one simpleConduct of Championships
reason – improvements are too hard to Safety
implement. Bylaws are usually Gowrie Emergency
changed only with a vote of the entire Card Template
membership and that cumbersome Last, but certainly
process makes it hard to respond to not least, is the
changing trends. For example, the subject of safety,
switch from triangular to windward- both on an off the
leeward courses. Tradition and inertia water. The host club
may prevent innovation. Even simple should have a
changes in rule numbers to conform to comprehensive
the Racing Rules of Sailing would safety plan. Again,
require membership votes. Doesn’t US Sailing, through
your class have better things to do? the Gowrie Group, has some excellent
D. Adopt the NCS requirements as a resources, including a safety card template.
policy, not a bylaw. This is the best of The Gowrie Burgee Program Safety
all arrangements. The requirements Resources can be seen at:
can be as detailed as you wish them to https://gowrie.com/USSailingPrograms/Safe
be and can be fine-tuned each year to tyResourcesDownload.aspx
incorporate the lessons learned. They
can also be suspended when conditions Summary
warrant. For example, if your class The following articles offer ideas about how
usually wants weather legs one mile to make fun, enjoyable events happen.
long, you can suspend this requirement One final note about Sailing Instructions:
if you decide that you want to accept a The simplest way to provide great sailing
bid to host the event from a venue with instructions for the NCS is not to use those
more restricted water. Having a that the host club may use for their club
published policy also allows you to races, but to use the Sailing Instruction
respond easily to inquiries about what Guide that is available on line at
it takes to host the NCS. www.USSailing.org.
Every year, many appeals come to the US
Regatta Planning Sailing Appeals Committees that hinge on
US Sailing has an excellent 32-page Regatta poorly worded sailing instructions. One of
Management Resource Manual that contains the worst possible results for an NCS is to
lots of information, including a detailed have the championship depend upon an
planning checklist. It is intended for clubs appeal. Stick to the template and the judges
that are hosting a US Sailing National will love you, you’ll have fewer problems,
Championship, but a slightly abbreviated fewer questions at the competitors meeting
version for a NCS is included in the for the race officers and judges, and less
following pages. The Manual itself is heartache for all concerned.
available for download at: Best tip (no exaggeration!): Buy or
https://cdn.ussailing.org/wp- download US Sailing's current Race
content/uploads/2020/01/Regatta- Management Handbook. Call 1 800 US-
Management-Resource-Manual_v6- SAIL-1 and charge to credit card, or order
Jan2020.pdf from the US Sailing web site:
USSailing.org.Conduct of Championships
Regional and national championships are the high points of the year for most sailors.
Well-run events are crucial to keep your class growing.
BY CLARK CHAPIN
(Adapted from the US Sailing Insurance, and if Borrowed Boat
Regatta Management Resource insurance is needed, arrange for it.
Manual (Jan 2020 Edition): • Review last year’s budget (if available)
and prepare a preliminary budget.
HOST CHAIR COUNTDOWN • The National Chair is responsible for
SCHEDULE AND writing the NOR. He or she will provide
CHECKLIST – FOR A you with an NOR. Team with them to
ensure that it is correct and meets your
NATIONAL needs, as the host.
CHAMPIONSHIP • Agree upon a PRO with your national
Each Chair will adapt their own schedule. A chair.
month-by-month “key date” is very helpful
9 MONTHS BEFORE
as a way to spread out the work load and
• Confirm your committee members and
ensure that all bases are covered.
volunteers
ONE YEAR BEFORE EVENT • Work with your designated Sponsorship
• Attend this year’s Championship. Next Committee Chair to research and follow
year’s rep should try to be housed with up leads for local sponsorship
this year's chair. • Work with your PR/Media Committee
• Championship national chair meets with Chair to prepare a “media plan” to show
host chair to debrief their observations. sponsors how the event will give them
Next year’s chair should be included. visibility.
11 MONTHS BEFORE • Raise awareness among host club
• Solicit committee members and members about the upcoming
volunteers Championship.
• Hold preliminary meeting of committee 8 MONTHS BEFORE
members • See if you need a Regatta Permit from
• Begin matching volunteers with the U.S. Coast Guard. Go to the
responsibilities Waterways Management for your sector
• Ensure your club’s calendar remains free of the Coast Guard District in which you
for the Championship are located. The first place to look is the
• Consider holding several fund raisers USCG District Website for your CG
over winter and early spring to help District and determine which sector you
defray expenses are in. Depending on where you are, you
may be able to fill out the application
10 MONTHS BEFORE
online
• Discuss the necessity of charter
availability for competitors. 7 MONTHS BEFORE
• Ask National Chair who will be • Have a conference call with National
appointed chief judge; discuss who will Chair and all your committee chairs to
be PRO. with National Chair. answer questions and confirm details
• Check status of insurance. Ensure • Continue to work on outreach for local
current coverage with Regatta Liability sponsorshipConduct of Championships
• Continue to solicit host families, if 11 WEEKS BEFORE
needed, for judges. • Confirm host families for judges.
• Organize motorboats and RIBs to be 10 WEEKS BEFORE
used for race management, judge boats, • Have your scorer familiarize themselves
safety boat and coach boats. Confirm with the registration/scoring platform.
estimated number required with National
Chair. 9 WEEKS BEFORE
• Work with your Safety Chair to confirm
6 MONTHS BEFORE
that all Safety/Risk Management
• Send preliminary budget to National procedures are in place.
Chair.
• Confirm the MD to have available
• Prepare for online registration: what will
during event.
be required - dates, housing, travel plans,
T shirt sizes, etc. Review a selection of 8 WEEKS BEFORE
discounted registration & scoring • Work with your PR Committee chair to
platform options. organize to have a photographer on site
for the event
5 MONTHS BEFORE
• Does your site have built in facilities for
• Work with your Safety Chair to confirm
drinking water refill stations? If not,
that all Safety/Risk Management
consider renting some for the event to
procedures are in place.
prevent the use of single use water
• Identify an MD to have available during bottles.
event.
• Create trailer drop off / parking plan.
• Formalize housing plans with respective
committee chairs 6 WEEKS BEFORE
• Inform visiting race officers/ judges of
4 MONTHS BEFORE
their housing arrangements
• Update budget, share with National
• Review Class Championship
Chair.
requirements and make sure everything
• Identify host families. is in place: Grounds, parking, radios,
• Invite next year’s host to your event. safety boats ….
They should stay with you if possible.
• Meet with the charter provider, if 5 WEEKS BEFORE
applicable, to finalize facility layout and • Confirm venues for evening
logistics. entertainment, menus
• Prepare a welcome letter for competitors 4 WEEKS BEFORE
outlining the key information they will • Early Registration closes.
need to plan. • Develop a transportation and housing
• Review the event registration with the matrix to coordinate airport pickup and
National Chair before registration is delivery for judges.
opened to competitors. • Review Sailing Instructions with
12 WEEKS BEFORE National Chair before they are posted on
• Finalize designs for regatta apparel. the event website.
• Meet with committees to finalize budget,
including food, entertainment and
transportationConduct of Championships
3 WEEKS BEFORE • Check adequate supplies of water have
• Check that all class-supplied trophies, been ordered
class banners, national sponsor banners, • Ensure the commodore etc. has been
and other materials have arrived. confirmed for the awards ceremony.
• Make sure computer equipment is DAY BEFORE
organized, including AV, digital camera,
• Ensure that everything is in place for
scoring, etc.
delivery of charter boats (if applicable)
• Identify registration area. Make sure
• Is your PR volunteer ready to write
there are enough outlets and access to
nightly reports post on line?
WiFi.
• Set up registration area, including club
• Confirm all food and drink orders with
burgees and class banners
kitchen and vendors
• Confirm with volunteers about
• Have PR Committee Chair contact class
transportation
PR people about publicity during and
• Hold final Q & A for volunteers
after the event.
• Distribute support boat flags, banners
• Provide final head count to host
personnel, including guests who may be • Provide all parties with emergency
coming with sailors or to evening frequencies and other related materials
activities. • Ensure that medical boat has supplies
and medical information
2 WEEKS BEFORE • Support boats fueled? Radios on board?
• Finalize online program, if applicable. Refueling instructions?
• Finalize transportation plans. If possible, • Space ready for lunch preparation?
e-mail each judge flying in to confirm Adequate supplies of water?
time and contact point/ person • Confirm National sponsor banners (if
• Identify MD on call; inform EMS of applicable) have been hung up
event and # participants; photocopy all • Confirm scoring platform is set for
medical forms and prepare a set to be online/real time reporting of results
kept on the medical boat (could be race throughout event.
committee boat)
• Determine where copies of the DURING THE CHAMPIONSHIP
registration materials and medical • PR person - After each day’s racing, post
information will be stored on shore for on line report.
easy access during the championship • Registrar - Ensure that scores have been
• Confirm trophy/trophies have been entered on the website.
received and have a place to be • Photographer - send 20 best photos to
displayed class PR person.
• Consider holding a Q & A evening for FINAL DAY
host families (if applicable) • Finalize awards ceremony agenda with
• Ensure that all Coast Guard National Chair
requirements are met on all support • Ensure Sponsor photo backdrops are in
boats place as necessary.
1 WEEK BEFORE • If applicable, help charter rep ensure the
• Double-check all event schedules, boats are loaded prior to the awards.
menus, food/drink orders,
photographers? Press boats?Conduct of Championships
• After the awards, contact class PR
people to develop that evening’s press
release.
AFTERWARD…
• Review host responsibilities with next
year’s chair and national chair.
• Hold final responsibility area chair
meeting/fun social gathering to debrief
and celebrate; send all constructive
comments to National Chair
• Send finalized budget class.
• Return non-local banners.
• Return unused damage deposits within
two weeks, if applicable.
• Consider sending a report to local
sponsors with photographs and press
clippings showing how they were
featured during the event and include a
thank-you note or framed photograph.
• Put your feet up and RELAX!!You can also read
