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JESTER CHALLENGE Notes by Ewen Southby-Tailyour Up-dated 23rd November 2005 |
| One of the aims of The Jester Challenge is for the skippers to take full responsibility for their actions and their vessels without nannying sets of rules (nor a £1000 entry fee). Another aim is that it should be FUN with the results not taken too seriously: who wins is less important than arriving safely. Sponsorship of the event and of individual yachts is not overtly encouraged - although Blondie certainly had no objection and was always grateful, knowing that without it his race would not have achieved the status it enjoys. The rules are at a minimum on the understanding that Challengers - as Corinthian yachtsmen - will accept that it is up to them to ‘behave like gentlemen’ with regard to the use of engines, accuracy of timings, numbers on board(!), adherence to common-sense, safety equipment and so on. We want to keep The Jester Challenge simple and un-fussy while proving that events like this can take place without all the hullabaloo and hype - and yet still be worthwhile taking part. |
The Jester Challenge is not a race in the accepted sense of the word so does who wins really matter; beyond an individual's happiness with his own performance against those he thinks are comparable vessels or against skippers with comparable experience? It might be well to remember the words of Jack Odling-Smee, the Chairman of the original race committee: “…the concept of the race (is) to defeat the ocean rather than the other competitors.” |
The idea for The Jester Challenge began to take form following the decision by various yacht clubs to disenfranchise the under 30 ft yachts from their long-distance races. It would appear this decision was forced upon them by legal and financial (insurance) implications. Bridget Hasler has said of The Jester Challenge: It seems a good idea to me and I’m pretty sure Blondie would agree. It would be sad if people felt Blondie wouldn’t have approved of the way the OSTAR has grown - in every sense of the word. I think he did approve of it but I also think he’d be pleased that the wee Jesters could have another shot at something. So, the very best of luck with the plan. I may be able to organise a central meeting place in Plymouth for a social gathering before the start. We may also have a small prize of a single, mounted Half Crown which will be engraved and kept by some responsible, willing organisation/custodian in sympathy with our aims. NEWS FLASH: Pantaenius (Plymouth - Tel: 01752 223656 or Fax: 01752 223637) has offered third party insurance in the following signal sent to Ewen S-T on 3rd October 2005: You may all like to see an extract from a letter from Roger Taylor who is saying what most, if not all, of us think: I have long lamented the loss of those simple ideals of self-sufficiency and self-effacement in ocean racing. The idea, therefore, of an event, or even a 'non-event', to bring things back to their basics, and, maybe, give one in the eye to the marketing men, corporate sponsors, celebrity career sailors and rule freaks, is just too much to resist!
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