Venture Cup 2016

[hunton69]

Originally Posted by DoubleSix

Good plan, but not too sure on the last bit.

Yeh! a Witch Hunt, although airing the dirty linen in public never ends well. Just let readers make their own minds up based on facts: it should keep this thread going for a good while longer.

A great shame for the sport.

So what is the point of a forum if you can't make a comment.


Ok point taken: I would just like to thank the Venture Cup team for nearly organising a fantastic race. The pain you went through in travelling around Ireland and spending other peoples money enduring endless nights in hotels and restaurants must of been incredibly harrowing. I really enjoyed reading about the locations, the boats and the crew that were going to take part. I would also like to thank you for saving me money on flights and hotels.

Oh well must get back to Piston Heads.

[Adam]

Great shame to hear the news - part of me feel really sorry for the hard work that must have gone into it. But also feel a touch angry that is another failure for the sport and powerboating really does not need it.

Roll on Cowes - hope the teams all support it.

[Seadog]

Originally Posted by Adam

Great shame to hear the news - part of me feel really sorry for the hard work that must have gone into it. But also feel a touch angry that is another failure for the sport and powerboating really does not need it.

Roll on Cowes - hope the teams all support it.

It is a great shame that the event is cancelled and I know there are a lot of teams, supporters and powerboaters to name but a few who were looking forward to the week of Powerboating. It is easy for us to find fault and place blame when things don't work out but I ask you how many of us would take on the mammot task that the vc organisers took on when they decided to set out an organise the event. I am not putting up this post to make excuses for the organisors as they are well able to look after their own posts. Being involved in powerboat racing in Ireland. I can confirm that a mountain of work had being carried out to make the event a success and I am sure like all on this forum the vc team must be gutted and asking where it all went wrong.
Looking at the Positives, because of the VC we have seen an increase in the number of Marathon Boats in Ireland and possibly the UK. This can only be good for the class and the sport. There is already an Irish Entry in the CTC.
Another positive is that it increased the exposure of Offshore Powerboat Racing to the general public in Ireland, in time people will remember the boats in both Dublin and Cork, cancellation notices on inside pages will soon be forgotten.
Where do we go from here, we all need to get behind events like the CTC and CPC to help the class grow. In regard to future events in Ireland, if we all work together and support the growth of offshore racing, I am sure some day we will see a Offshore Event similar the the Cowes Classic on the shores of the Emerald Isle. As Adam said "Roll on Cowes"

[Ciao]

For some perspective.

When I took over running the Cowes Event in 2010, I was given the task of running it safely and within a budget.

I put an organising team together, who for the main part, will be involved with the 2016 Cowes Classic.

We came in on budget for my 4 year tenure, Dorian improved on that subsequently for his 2 years at the helm.

Could the BPRC do better to promote and improve the Event?

Perhaps, but finance dictates.

Aidan*Foley, with his acolytes, felt they could do a far better job running a UIM Marathon Event.

Using hyperbole as their weapon of choice they made risible claims of 500,000 + spectators with the tagline of The World's longest, toughest and most prestigious offshore powerboat race.

I have no sympathy for Foley's team, my sympathy goes to the potential entrants who have spent good money and time rigging boats to be once again disappointed.

[Mikko Oikari]

Right so, John...

[Adam]

At the end of it I think the real error they made was claiming the event was 'fully funded' when clearly it was not - or the money went elsewhere.

Marathon racing needs more events than just Cowes. As great as Cowes is and we owe so much to many people for its survival over the years - we need perhaps another two quality events in the UK.

I don't think multiple day events are going to feasible for some time - partly as competitors are just not going to trust they will actually happen any more.

[hunton69]

Originally Posted by Adam

UK.

I don't think multiple day events are going to feasible for some time - partly as competitors are just not going to trust they will actually happen any more.

Don't be so negative.... I am looking forward to the next proposal.
How about a 6 day race going around the Isle of Wight
It could start at Cowes over night stop in Yarmouth, camp out on a beach at Blackgang nip into Ventnor and Shanklin pop into Ryde and then back to a fan fare in Cowes. Just think what it would do for the Isle of Wight tourist board half a million people watching....

Must get hold of JM to Launch the web site and go banging on doors for some dosh

[DoubleSix]

Originally Posted by hunton69

So what is the point of a forum if you can't make a comment.


Ok point taken: I would just like to thank the Venture Cup team for nearly organising a fantastic race. The pain you went through in travelling around Ireland and spending other peoples money enduring endless nights in hotels and restaurants must of been incredibly harrowing. I really enjoyed reading about the locations, the boats and the crew that were going to take part. I would also like to thank you for saving me money on flights and hotels.

Oh well must get back to Piston Heads.

Ok point taken. ;-) But as the saying goes: only delve into history where it is of benefit to the future.

[Mrs Smillie]

Originally Posted by Ciao

For some perspective.

When I took over running the Cowes Event in 2010, I was given the task of running it safely and within a budget.

I put an organising team together, who for the main part, will be involved with the 2016 Cowes Classic.

We came in on budget for my 4 year tenure, Dorian improved on that subsequently for his 2 years at the helm.

Could the BPRC do better to promote and improve the Event?

Perhaps, but finance dictates.

Aidan*Foley, with his acolytes, felt they could do a far better job running a UIM Marathon Event.

Using hyperbole as their weapon of choice they made risible claims of 500,000 + spectators with the tagline of The World's longest, toughest and most prestigious offshore powerboat race.

I have no sympathy for Foley's team, my sympathy goes to the potential entrants who have spent good money and time rigging boats to be once again disappointed.

Actually agree with you for once that must be a first Claire

[hunton69]

Originally Posted by Mrs Smillie

Actually agree with you for once that must be a first Claire

Noooooo........ I can't believe it

As your in such a good mood will Eric, Max and your good self pop round one Sunday to fire up de Bandit engines on the strength of a bottle of Chablis or 2

[Miss Daisy]

There must be space for more 'long weekend' events. Slightly longer than CTC but not requiring a week plus off work. I hate to say it but the VC prologue event was just right, 4 days actual racing I think it was, see a few different places but not huge time commitment issues. Surely a couple of those is just as good as a full week's headline event. As an example how about Cowes-Torquay day 1, Torquay-Guernsey day 2, Guernsey-Cowes day3 and a round the island finale on day 4. Good support from various clubs in all venues, mostly offshore, 4 day event. Genuinely interested on other people's views, does that make sense or is it random white noise that no-one else would consider?
All the best

[Mike Lloyd]

Great idea Jonathan but, to pour doom and gloom on your thinking, there's no individual and no club with the gumption, vision, time or money to put on something like this, I wish there was - except maybe Guernsey, they still have some great guys out there. But .... you never know.

Unfortunately we don't have UKOBA anymore - the days of us all having up to 10 races a year with mass starts and all clubs working together are long gone.

ML.
.

[Adam]

Originally Posted by Miss Daisy

There must be space for more 'long weekend' events. Slightly longer than CTC but not requiring a week plus off work. I hate to say it but the VC prologue event was just right, 4 days actual racing I think it was, see a few different places but not huge time commitment issues. Surely a couple of those is just as good as a full week's headline event. As an example how about Cowes-Torquay day 1, Torquay-Guernsey day 2, Guernsey-Cowes day3 and a round the island finale on day 4. Good support from various clubs in all venues, mostly offshore, 4 day event. Genuinely interested on other people's views, does that make sense or is it random white noise that no-one else would consider?
All the best

Actually a 3 day (4 max) might work - but don't think you should mess around with the Cowes event. CTC is the history and tradition that is keeping the sport going.

But perhaps starting from Poole...

Then who has the funds and is going to promote / stage the vent?

[Dozzer]

There is only one offshore race that everyone wants to do and that is Cowes, and that is mainly because of the historical aspect and we know it will happen.

Cowes is hugely difficult to put together, I know as I was event director with John Walker in 2003, event director on my own in 2004 and there was a huge hole in the difference in what was spent and what was received in revenue. The other problem was that Cowes Yacht Haven was charging @£25,000 .....yes that is a big figure, in ADVANCE to book it for the event, which was crippling in itself.

Fortunately in 2013 when I was giving John Moore a hand I had a bright idea and persuaded the Royal Yacht Squadron to let us use them instead and pay as we go which slashed the cost massively, and my good friend Gareth at Drivers Wharf accepted to have the boats delivered to his site at a very reasonable cost paid directly by the competitors, and also a very good friend of mine Gordon who happened to be the Mayor of Torbay came up with some financial support which we would get IF we stopped at Torquay and let the spectators have a show, and Torbay Council is still supporting us now, hence the pit stop continues. If those things had not fallen into place in 2013 the race would not have happened, and would probably be dead now, but it did and I was happy to be event director in 2014 and 2015.

For the record, being event director is a thankless task and I did it for the love of Cowes as my family had raced there from 1969. I have had enough stress in my life so to reduce this I handed the reigns over to Martin Levi and I hope the building blocks that were laid by me stay firm for the future.

I know that Cowes this year is going to be the best since "The Old Days".

It would be great for another race in the UK but as we are mainly all amateurs there is no way it is possible to fund as powerboat racing is very difficult to sponsor unless you are very very lucky.

This is just my humble opinion, and I'm off to test my Cowes 2016 entry C100 tomorrow to make sure the gremlins have well and truly gone......well before the event!

[Mrs Smillie]

Originally Posted by hunton69

Noooooo........ I can't believe it

As your in such a good mood will Eric, Max and your good self pop round one Sunday to fire up de Bandit engines on the strength of a bottle of Chablis or 2

Max works on a superyacht these days so not around but im sure i could talk to my hubby if you want but hubby would prefer rather than vino. Claire x

[Miss Daisy]

Sadly I think you are all correct. No matter what the desirability of anything there is no-one out there able to stage such an event. The CTC is all there is at the moment, (and sorry Adam I didn't mean anything to alter/interfere with that, simply as an extra event.)
I understand and appreciate all the hard work that goes in to these events, most of which simply dissipates against the barriers of modern attitudes and rules that now exist. Philosophically I think we're more like Soviet Russia now than they were themselves back in the 70s. I blame the lawyers!
All the best

[Mikko Oikari]

Talked to the Skagerak Across-organizers yesterday and they have less than 10 boats to start so far.

Where are all the Venture Cup raceteams?

Skagerak Across is a true offshorerace that usually bring some real tough conditions.

http://skagerrakwaterfestival.no/

[TomLinley]

Originally Posted by Mikko Oikari

Talked to the Skagerak Across-organizers yesterday and they have less than 10 boats to start so far.

Where are all the Venture Cup raceteams?

Skagerak Across is a true offshorerace that usually bring some real tough conditions.

http://skagerrakwaterfestival.no/

And organised by a very professional team by the looks of it that deliver on their promises! How VC could have spent the funds they were given by their backers is mind boggling. Our family have consistently delivered circumnavigation and long distance endurance challenges with the magazine with a tenth of the budget. Such a shame, but yes now the focus must be on future events, run by those who aren't just marketers.

I would love to enter our race boat mikko and plan too for next year but for now our focus is on Cowes and various charity work through summer. However there must be a few boats that can increase those numbers and are actively looking for a great event.

Your Outerlimits is flying and really looking forward to seeing it hopefully in September!

[Adam]

Originally Posted by Mikko Oikari

Talked to the Skagerak Across-organizers yesterday and they have less than 10 boats to start so far.

Where are all the Venture Cup raceteams?

Skagerak Across is a true offshorerace that usually bring some real tough conditions.

http://skagerrakwaterfestival.no/

Just not possible this year - but would love to do it next year with the Technohull

[ashley nihell]

did this race a few years ago with the birreta due boys had a great time,as stated well organised,well run and well supported,and it is in a lovely place,it was the same year that dean gibbs won it in his fountain,they also have round the fiords race ,plenty of entertainment all week,only one problem .........the price of the beer