New fee payments schedule, possible limit on entries, new Performance group
Dear Skippers,
We hope you are all well and that your preparations for GSC are going smoothly.
The purpose of this newsletter is to give you advance notice of some amendments to the Notice of Event which will be made public in the next week or so, on the following topics.
Entry fees
Much has happened in the nine months since the launch of the Global Solo Challenge and we are delighted to have reached the incredible milestone of 35 entries in such a short time.
Over 325 skippers have now enquired about the event and there is significant number of those who have not yet entered saying they intend to do so.
The number of new enquiries each week is increasing, as is traffic to the Event Website and media interest generally. There is every reason to believe the total number of participants will continue to grow strongly.
Thanks to such a positive response, we are pleased to be able to announce a change in the entry fees payment schedule. There will no longer be a lump sum payment of €2500 due this December. Instead, there will be four €500 stage payments due in 2022, the first on 31 March 2022. The majority of the fees will not be due till 2023. The total entry fee remains unchanged.
Possible limit on entries
With the number of entries rising so rapidly, we are in talks with the Marina of La Coruña to ensure the logistics of a potentially large fleet will not pose a problem. And this will be on the agenda for our visit there later this year.
But there is a possibility we may have to introduce a limit to the maximum number of boats allowed to enter – a common practice in many sailing events.
If the introduction of a cap becomes necessary, it will not affect the “Full Entry” Skippers already entered at that stage, whoses places will be guaranteed.
Early Applicant status
Any Skippers who have applied for Early Applicant status on or before 31 December 2021 can continue in that category until 31 March 2022.
Any Skippers who apply for Early Applicant status after 31 December 2021 can continue in that category for 90 days after the date of their application.
At the end of the relevant periods set out above, Early Applicant Skippers must apply for Full Entry status to remain part of the Event.
But please note that Early Applicant status does not guarantee a place in the Event if it becomes necessary to introduce a limit on entries.
New “ Performance” group departure
In a recent newsletter we announced the event was opening up to some faster boats that would have been excluded by the existing limits for group Super-Zero.
Accordingly an amendment to the Notice of Event will provide for a new “Performance” group for boats rated 1.251 to 1.370 with a scheduled departure on Sat 18th November 2023 at 1300 UTC, three weeks after the start of the Super-Zero group.
We have carefully analysed performance data and feel the three weeks additional waiting time is fair with respect to all other boats.
Motoring
The existing Notice of Event and Regulations provide that motoring was allowed (except for when a boat was within 500 miles of the finish line) and for a maximum of 300 litres of fuel to be carried.
To avoid the possibility that this rule might impact on some boats unfairly, amendments to the documentation will provide that making way under engine is not permitted except in specified stuations such as collision avoidance, man overboard recovery, providing assistance at sea, pulling into port, etc.
All instances where a boat makes way under engine must be reported to the Event Organiser who may apply a time penalty if it is deemed that the participant has gained an unfair advantage.
Best wishes,
Marco.
For Marco Nannini LTD, Event Organiser
