National/Regional Circuits.

Attendance at the Merlin Rocket Salcombe Week certainly isn't down - the 120 places for 2017 sold out this week within 2 hours of entry opening and there are at least 28 on the waiting list!

And that confirms what? Alcoholics Anonymous are failing to do their job?

Merlins have been around fifty years if all they can muster after all that time is 120 places, I'm sorry it's not relevant, a closed venue isn't an indicator.

The trend of those figures in those tables is an indicator that can't be argued with. 7496 down to 5653 during a 5 yr period in which they have been actively meddling is something a sports governing body should concern themselves with and take action.

Originally posted by JohnJack Having had a look at a few class websites, a majority of classes are seeming to be struggling with the popularity of their National Circuits. I know there are less people travelling, but are National Circuits dying out?

John, I think there are lots of different reasons why national circuits can struggle. In my 20's I would think nothing of setting off almost every friday through the season to drive to some far flung club, pitch my tent by torchlight and camp in a field with no facilities, but now, I work more hours, have more responsibility and also have to consider the rest of the family. So these days I mainly sail at home with a couple of planned trips in the year (in fact even finding time to sail locally can be a challenge) I could not justify traveling from Newcastle to the south coast for a weekend event.

The ent model of local series open with area champs seems to work (or at least it did years ago when I was involved in the north west and the broads, but up here in the north east even these events are a decent drive) but they can only really do this because they have been a well numbered class for many years.

It can all be a bit cyclical though, and it just takes a critical mass of folks with the freedom to start attending many events and things can kick off again

The National 12s have seen a slight increase this year - numbers at nationals over 40 and we just had a great joint open with the OKs for our Inlands at Northampton,

We do some regional, vintage and national circuits. Getting people to travel across the country is difficult though.

I probably wouldn't travel further than 1hr for a Laser Open but happy to go 12 sailing anywhere, the class are more friendly!

+1 Interesting though, that only the first nine completed the three events required to qualify and of the northerners only 6 travelled south (and all of them were in the first 9). Would more have gone South if there hadn't been a Northern circuit? No idea but it's good to see a class running events, and managing reasonable turnouts oop here in 'bandit country' ;)

Edited by Sam.Spoons - 10 Nov 16 at 7:11pm