The time for action

James Boyd presents some views on what could be done to assist singlehanded sailors in the UK

Above: Brian Thompson's Mini

The only drawback at present is...money.

The 'lack of support' we have been referring to for the last three days is over the inability to get money for singlehanded offshore racing from bodies such as the National Lottery. Over the past few years limited funds have been awarded from the Foundation for Sports and the Arts to both Ellen and to Pete Goss, prior to his Vendee Globe campaign in 1996. But both these awards came without the help of the RYA and followed applications made directly to the Foundation by Goss and MacArthur.

Turner is adamant that the RYA should bite the bullet and offer their wholehearted support to solo sailors trying to glean funds from bodies such as the lottery to take them forward in what he describes as the one corner of sailing which has generated the most impact for the sport. "There has been so many excuses why people can't support singlehanded sailing, but they've run out," he maintains.

Turner would like to see a similar infra-structure put in place within the RYA for solo ocean racers as there is at present for potential Olympians, a singlehanded offshore World Class Performance Programme if you like, complete with its own dedicated development officer who can decide which sailors and what projects get funding.

Another suggestion has been to find a sponsor for what in France is known as the 'Skipper Elf' program. This used to be one of the most sought after prizes in the Figaro race, where the top first timer won sponsorship and a boat to campaign on the Figaro circuit for the next season.

An interesting side affect of this training will be the development of a new breed of offshore sailor in the UK who will be in great demand even in crewed offshore races. Already in the Volvo Ocean Race we have seen Figaro sailors being snapped up such as former Solitaire du Figaro winner Pascal Bidegorry on SEB, Thomas Coville on djuice, Damian Foxall on Tyco and Miranda Merron and Emma Richards on Amer Sports Too.

Tommorrow madforsailing will examine the Figaro class