Interesting story!

[Mike Lloyd]

http://raceboatinternational.com/index.php?id=277

[Paul E]

What a load of crap, surely that just goes against everything marathon racing is supposed to be about?!. Total bollocks. I was really looking forward to seeing some of the marathon toys over here!

[OCRDA]

I heard it was due to Political issues within GPA perhaps Larby could fill us in on the real reasons !!

[hunton69]

Lets face it Guernsey is outside a marathon boats comfort zone

[Captain Chaos]

i dunno Baz, i think yours'd make it there and back ok .......... just need to avoid any low tides

[larby]

Originally Posted by OCRDA

I heard it was due to Political issues within GPA perhaps Larby could fill us in on the real reasons !!

Hiya Bob, everyone,

I can assure you the pulling of the Guernsey marathon leg has absolutely nothing to do with politics over here, the GPA, or the danger of the course.
I have been working with Dean over the last few months to try to organise this event, but ORDA have now decided that they do not want to pay for officials to come to Guernsey and thus pulled the plug, I was informed yesterday. As we have a race on during saturday afternoon our local officials are unable to support both events at once.

I've hit nothing but brick walls when trying to organise marathon events for one reason or another, but I don't plan to give up, there's always next year.

While I'm clearing up rumors, I haven't resigned as Chairman as some have heard. There were some issues over here and I considered giving up, but that's not the way I do things so I'm very much still here.

James

[Mike Lloyd]

Originally Posted by larby

I've hit nothing but brick walls when trying to organise marathon events for one reason or another, but I don't plan to give up, there's always next year.

James

Well done for trying anyway James. You are actually in the perfect position in Guernsey to run a Marathon race. Three or four runs down to Jersey and back would sort the men from the boys as I well remember from 1998!

[OCRDA]

Originally Posted by larby

Hiya Bob, everyone,

I can assure you the pulling of the Guernsey marathon leg has absolutely nothing to do with politics over here, the GPA, or the danger of the course.
I have been working with Dean over the last few months to try to organise this event, but ORDA have now decided that they do not want to pay for officials to come to Guernsey and thus pulled the plug, I was informed yesterday. As we have a race on during saturday afternoon our local officials are unable to support both events at once.

I've hit nothing but brick walls when trying to organise marathon events for one reason or another, but I don't plan to give up, there's always next year.

While I'm clearing up rumors, I haven't resigned as Chairman as some have heard. There were some issues over here and I considered giving up, but that's not the way I do things so I'm very much still here.

James

I thought you guys had officials surely you would only need deputies !! After all they are only using Guernsey as a fuel stop !!

[larby]

Yeah, we do have officials, but the ones on that day will only just be trained and then only to club racing level. Aside from that, it's not all one event, it's two seperate ones and the marathon boats would be arriving just as we're breifing and starting our race. It's the RYA RAC that requested seperate officials, not us.

Thanks for your words Mike, I too agree that it's the perfect location for Marathon. I know the racers are all keen as mustard to come over, it's just the mountain of politics and red tape in that way that's causing issues!

James

[OCRDA]

Originally Posted by larby

Yeah, we do have officials, but the ones on that day will only just be trained and then only to club racing level. Aside from that, it's not all one event, it's two seperate ones and the marathon boats would be arriving just as we're breifing and starting our race. It's the RYA RAC that requested seperate officials, not us.

Thanks for your words Mike, I too agree that it's the perfect location for Marathon. I know the racers are all keen as mustard to come over, it's just the mountain of politics and red tape in that way that's causing issues!

James

I know its a bit late now but you could have adjusted your timetable to start after the Marathon boats had arrived and used your trainees working under the officials in Torquay !
Bear in mind that the event is now proposed to run with only one set of officials !! I really dont see the difference.

[bigdog v2]

Well said Bob

[larby]

Originally Posted by OCRDA

I know its a bit late now but you could have adjusted your timetable to start after the Marathon boats had arrived and used your trainees working under the officials in Torquay !
Bear in mind that the event is now proposed to run with only one set of officials !! I really dont see the difference.

I don't see where you're going here Bob... We couldn't change for a number of reasons, mainly that we weren't given a chance. I was just told the event was cancelled.
Aside from that, we are very strictly governed by the tides over here along with other factors. All our races start within 1hr of high water to ensure everything can be completed leaving time for guard boats to return to their moorings. We therefore couldn't delay our race for the marathon boats as our guard boat fleet wouldn't want to be stuck out overnight. Not to mention, ORDA were informed of our race start times last year before they set times. Our race instructions are submitted and virtually approved so wouldn't be changed at this stage.
As I said, it's the RYA who won't allow the officials situation, not us or ORDA, so out of our control. This was the main issue at the end of the day.

I don't really want to get into a massive discussion about it as it makes me sound like I'm trying to blame ORDA, which I'm definately not, it's just a variety of reasons that led to a decision being made to sadly not come to Guernsey, no one's particularly to fault. I probably should've checked what was being planned more, so it's my fault as much as anyone's. I'll live and learn and will ensure the same mistakes aren't made next year when I plan an event to Guernsey.

James

[Mike Lloyd]

Originally Posted by larby

Yeah, we do have officials, but the ones on that day will only just be trained and then only to club racing level. Aside from that, it's not all one event, it's two seperate ones and the marathon boats would be arriving just as we're breifing and starting our race. It's the RYA RAC that requested seperate officials, not us.

Thanks for your words Mike, I too agree that it's the perfect location for Marathon. I know the racers are all keen as mustard to come over, it's just the mountain of politics and red tape in that way that's causing issues!

James

Mmmm, I well remember the Red Tape and Politics, hopefully we are better prepared this time round. I did hear that the French were proving difficult, can you fill me in on that because that will be quite relevent to us (CM-C) of course.
ML.
.

[OCRDA]

Originally Posted by Mike Lloyd

Mmmm, I well remember the Red Tape and Politics, hopefully we are better prepared this time round. I did hear that the French were proving difficult, can you fill me in on that because that will be quite relevent to us (CM-C) of course.
ML.
.

The only difficulty with French is communication. That is probably our fault for not speaking French !!
Still planning to go to Port Barcares in May !!

[Tony Davis]

Originally Posted by Mike Lloyd

. I did hear that the French were proving difficult, can you fill me in on that because that will be quite relevent to us (CM-C) of course.
ML.
.

I thought Mark Lamont had found away round the problems the French seem to create, might be worth speaking to him and asking his advice.

Mind you, I know what the French can be like, I'm married to half of one!!! and the other bit of her is Scottish

[topgun]

Originally Posted by Paul E

What a load of crap, surely that just goes against everything marathon racing is supposed to be about?!. Total bollocks. I was really looking forward to seeing some of the marathon toys over here!

Maybe they should change the name from Marathon to Snickers!!

Smaller and more manageable (only old gits will make sense of this)

[Martin The Talker]

Originally Posted by topgun

Maybe they should change the name from Marathon to Snickers!!

Smaller and more manageable (only old gits will make sense of this)

Be careful who you call an old git !!!

[Mike Lloyd]

[QUOTE=Tony Davis;201556]I thought Mark Lamont had found away round the problems the French seem to create, might be worth speaking to him and asking his advice.
QUOTE]

You cannot be serious!
ML.
.

[larby]

What's the issue with the French? PM me if you'd prefer. I'd be more than happy to help in any way I can, I know our harbour master has very close relations with the frogs as we share waters and he's a very helpful fellow. Also my mother in law (to be, poor woman), is french, which helps with translations.

James

[Tony Davis]

[QUOTE=Mike Lloyd;201580]

Originally Posted by Tony Davis

I thought Mark Lamont had found away round the problems the French seem to create, might be worth speaking to him and asking his advice.
QUOTE]

You cannot be serious!
ML.
.