Firstly, a bit of background into this years Shanghai Cup and Bristol Channel IRC Championships
This famous cup, the history of which is well known to CBYC, was brought back to life about five years ago by the Cardiff Bay Yacht Club and Portishead Cruising Club organising two weekends of racing in the Bristol Channel. Just before the onset of Covid whilst looking for sponsorship we discovered that the RORC would be happy for us to set up a regional IRC championship entitled the Bristol Channel IRC Championships and so Shanghai and the BCIRC Championships were amalgamated. As a result, this competition has received just over £900 sponsorship from Spinlock.
How did we get here. Three years ago Simon Britten from PCC contacted the RORC IRC Ratings Office to discuss the potential for growing IRC racing in the Bristol Channel. He proposed with agreement from CBYC and PCC that these clubs became a regional hub for IRC racing. The Shanghai Cup seemed an idea candidate for our annual event. The IRC ratings office are very keen to promote regional championships and support them with feedback meetings for regional reps, plus discussions on ratings checks and the safety rules. Simon has attended these zoom gatherings but it may be appropriate for other people to stand in from time to time. Understandably the IRC Office is enthusiastically supporting local racing for it is their interest to encourage and grow our only national and international rating system. The complexity of the rule and the use of a secret formula can frustrate both designers and first-time users. But it is the best rule we have got and gets the best sailors onto the podium in the fairest way.
Weekend Information
To assist skippers with planning, not only their passage and timings back and for from Portishead & Cardiff, we have information on accommodation, social activities, and locking information on race days.
This can all be found via the main menu above, under Portishead Weekend info and Cardiff Weekend info.