2024 March/April Marina World
The magazine for the marina industry
The magazine for the marina industry
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MARINA EVENTS<br />
With two significant and unusually<br />
south-spreading depressions, the<br />
forecast for the crossing was another<br />
reminder that every eventuality needs<br />
to be carefully considered.<br />
Gathering support<br />
For marinas, hosting an offshore<br />
race event start can be a major coup,<br />
attracting international acclaim and<br />
positioning the facility in yachting<br />
circles and beyond. That said, it can<br />
require substantial financial, logistical<br />
and human resources, which involves<br />
investing time in setting up reliable and<br />
mutually beneficial collaborations with<br />
local or regional authorities and private<br />
sector sponsors.<br />
Preferences for organisers tend to<br />
be to berth boats as close as possible,<br />
which can be logistically challenging.<br />
And few marinas are able to host<br />
performance yachts drawing up to 5m<br />
(16ft 5in) or even 7m (23ft). Relevant<br />
Maggie Adamson and Gavin Howe on Sun Fast 3600 Tigris (above)<br />
and MOD 70s at <strong>Marina</strong> Lanzarote (below). Photos: Robert Hajduk<br />
languages are required, and crews<br />
need nearby facilities such as hotels,<br />
restaurants and marine services.<br />
Some teams are fairly autonomous,<br />
while others may request help with<br />
matters such<br />
as tracking<br />
packages,<br />
sourcing<br />
parts, storage<br />
or customs<br />
procedures.<br />
Expert<br />
on-the-water<br />
support is also<br />
essential, with<br />
local knowledge<br />
handy for<br />
organising<br />
the start line,<br />
helping to<br />
maximise<br />
visibility, and<br />
supplying RIBs for escorting media<br />
crew or marshalling the marks to<br />
avoid collisions with spectators. The<br />
host destination will often be asked<br />
to provide a hospitality programme,<br />
for which venues, catering and<br />
permissions will all need to be acquired.<br />
Social events provide the means to<br />
build inter-team camaraderie and for<br />
the host to create a positive impression<br />
on the fleet and race organisers,<br />
showcasing their cultural and<br />
gastronomic heritage.<br />
Engaging with others<br />
Optimum media coverage is highly<br />
desirable in both the preferential<br />
language(s) used by the organiser,<br />
and the host’s native language. The<br />
event can provide opportunities to<br />
enhance a reputation by promoting the<br />
destination to an attractive international<br />
audience; perhaps also celebrating<br />
local nautical heritage or procuring<br />
emblematic photos of landscape from<br />
the sea. Special interest groups can be<br />
invited to visit the yachts, such as local<br />
sailing youth or maritime students etc,<br />
or schools can get involved in science<br />
projects being carried out by specific<br />
boats, boosting the connection with the<br />
host destination.<br />
The values of offshore racing are<br />
also relevant and should be celebrated<br />
as part of the event, such as fair<br />
competition, nautical proficiency,<br />
teamwork, adventure, resilience and<br />
tradition. As an events host, we share<br />
a key role in nourishing a passion<br />
for the sea and for commending<br />
nautical excellence; supporting the<br />
wider boating community and helping<br />
establish new standards in racing and<br />
sailing craft.<br />
www.marinaworld.com – <strong>March</strong>/<strong>April</strong> <strong>2024</strong><br />
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