The MYA governs the regulations and rules for hosting National Championships within the UK for those classes that it administers or are affiliated to it.
These regulations are regularly considered and updated when required by the MYA Race Officer and his team.
National Championship Regulations
1. General
1.1. One MYA National Championship event may be arranged annually for the International, National and Affiliated classes.
1.2. The National status of an event is subject to the host club/race committee complying with the following regulations.
2. Rules Governing the Event
2.1. The event shall be governed by these Regulations, the current versions of the RRS, the MYA Standard Sailing Instructions (SSIs), the MYA HMS and the Notice of Race
2.2. Free Sailing National events shall be governed by these Regulations, the MYA Free Sailing Yacht Racing Rules (FSYRRs) and the Notice of Race (NoR).
2.3. In addition to the above, the organisation team, competitors and support persons shall comply with the current MYA constitution and its associated appendices.
3. Organisation
3.1. The organisation of the event will be entrusted to a host club approved by MYA Council, and their race committee.
3.2. A club wishing to host a National Championship event should, with the agreement of the class captain apply to the MYA Racing Officer as early as possible in the preceding year, providing as much information as possible regarding the proposed venue and race committee for the event.
3.3. The dates and venues will be decided by the MYA Racing Officer in consultation with clubs, districts and class captains, and will be approved by Council.
3.4. The venue, dates, closing date and entry fee will be published in the MYA Yearbook and this shall be taken as the default NoR for the event. Event details and any updated NoR, including any entry limitations agreed with MYA Council will be posted on the MYA website.
4. Event Entry
4.1. The entry of a boat for a National Championship event will only be accepted from MYA members, and who are members of the relevant class association where one exists.
4.2. With the agreement of the MYA, entry may be open to members of overseas clubs affiliated to an IRSA Delegated National Member (DNM), or a ‘World Sailing’ Member National Authority (MNA).
4.3. Entries can only be accepted from skippers in good standing with their DNMs or MNAs.
4.4. Where a junior trophy is available, only competitors who are aged 18 or under on the first day of the event shall be eligible.
4.5. Entries may be made,
a) Online, using the entry system via the MYA website.
b) By e-mail to the address specified in the NoR attaching a completed event entry form.
c) By post, sending a completed copy of the form in the MYA Yearbook to the address in the NoR.
d) By telephone at the discretion of the race committee and if permitted by the NoR.
4.6. There shall be no limit on the number of entries, except where stated in the NoR.
4.7. The closing date shall be no less than 14 days before the start of the event.
4.8. Entries will be accepted up to 21:00 hours on the evening of the closing date.
4.9. Regardless of entry method, payment for entries shall be sent to arrive in accordance with the NoR or before the closing date.
4.10. If the entry fee has not been received at the closing date a competitor shall be required, at the discretion of the host club/race committee, to pay a £10 surcharge.
4.11. Entries made after the closing date will be accepted only at the discretion of the host club/race committee and may attract a further surcharge up to a maximum of £10.
4.12. A competitor who is unable to attend an event shall take all reasonable steps to give notice, by verbal message, by email or letter to the host club/race committee, that he/she shall not be participating in the event.
4.13. Except in exceptional circumstances and at the discretion of the host club/race committee, once an entry has been received, the entry fee shall be paid whether the competitor competes or not (unless the entry was withdrawn at least four weeks before the start of the event). Non-payment may jeopardise entries being accepted in future MYA events.
4.14. Any surcharge shall be paid prior to competing in the event.
4.15. The winner of each perpetual trophy awarded at a National Championship will be asked to sign a Trophy Declaration Form. The MYA will refund reasonable costs of engraving. The holder of a trophy shall be responsible for returning the trophy (including the costs thereof) to the host club in good time for the next event, engraved and in similar condition as received. The holder shall also confirm to the MYA Racing Officer the arrangements made to return the trophy.
5. Competitors’ Conduct
5.1. All competitors and their support personnel shall comply with all relevant racing rules and the standards of conduct expected within the MYA constitution and associated appendices.
5.2. A competitor who is unable to attend an event shall take all reasonable steps to give notice, by verbal message, by email or letter to the host club/race committee, that he/she shall not be participating in the event. See also 4.12.
5.3. If a gross infringement of these regulations, the Racing Rules of Sailing as a result of an RRS rule 69 or the FSYRR FUNDAMENTAL rule D or appropriate class rules be proved against a competitor, such persons may have membership of the MYA withdrawn for a period that Council decides.
6. Responsibilities of the Race Officer
6.1 The Race Officer (RO) shall:
a) not compete in the event;
b) lead and manage the race committee, who also shall not compete;
c) ensure compliance with the rules;
d) delegate duties to event officials who will be responsible to the RO;
e) conduct skippers’ briefings in accordance with the MYA SSIs or FSYRRs;
f) appoint protest committees, as necessary during the event, to deal with protest and redress hearings or delegate this task to other members of the race committee as required;
g) obtain a signed trophy custody declaration from all trophy winners;
h) to send within 48 hours the results to the MYA and class website. For radio National Championships results shall be sent to the MYA Radio League Secretary and the person compiling the ranking list points, ensuring that it contains all the required information on the MYA Event Results Pro-forma.
i) ensure that an event report with photographs suitable for publication on the MYA website or within any MYA, yachting or model publication is prepared and distributed within one week of the event finishing.
j) as soon as possible and not later than 2 weeks after the event, provide a report to the MYA Racing Officer including a detailed final score sheet and decisions on any protests held during the event.
7. Finance & Prizes
7.1. The event shall be financed from the entry fees, which may be augmented by any other monies specifically collected by the host club/race committee for the occasion.
7.2. The MYA shall receive from the event any MYA race levies that may be in place at the time of the event.
7.3. Accounts of all monies collected and spent shall be maintained. Any loss from the event will be borne by the host club. These accounts shall be sent to the MYA Treasurer with a copy to the MYA Race Officer within 4 weeks of the completion of the event. The accounts need not include catering and social events if they are outside of monies raised by the entry fee.
7.4. From the income the host club shall provide prizes in accordance with the following minimum scale:-
- 7 to 15 entries 3 prizes
- 16 to 20 entries 4 prizes
- 21 to 25 entries 5 prizes
- 26 to 30 entries 6 prizes
- and thereafter, one prize for every 1 to 10 additional entries.
7.5. Entry fees will be spent responsibly, providing prizes of sufficient value and appropriateness relative to the number of competitors entered. Part of the entry fee may be used to justifiably improve the event running facilities of the host club to help improve the quality of venue for the championship and future events.
8. Change of Venue and Cancellation
8.1. In exceptional circumstances a change of venue may be permitted provided the MYA Racing Officer is satisfied that:-
a) the alternative venue is suitable and
b) the date remains unchanged and
c) the impact on competitors accommodation is reasonable and
d) the change of venue can be published on the MYA website at least 4 weeks prior to the event and
e) each competitor whose entry has been accepted can be informed.
If it is impossible to hold a National Championship where originally scheduled in the MYA Yearbook and the conditions above cannot be met and there are other ranking events for the class in the same calendar year, the event will be cancelled.
8.2. If the National Championship is the only ranking event for the class in a calendar year, then the date of the event may also be changed to a later date if conditions 8.1(a), (c), (d) and (e) are met. Where the date of the event is to be changed as well as the venue, 8.1(d) applies to the original event date as published in the MYA Yearbook.
8.3. Any information errors in the MYA Yearbook concerning the dates of National Championships will be notified to the membership on the MYA website as soon as possible after the error is corrected. In this case, 8.1 and 8.2 will not apply to affected events by way of correcting the error.
8.4. A National Championship attracting an entry fewer than seven competitors from at least two MYA affiliated clubs shall lose its National Championship status for that year. The event may be sailed, but the championship trophy and title will not be awarded to the winner.
8.5. Except for free sailing events, the average National Championship entry over a rolling 3 year period shall be 10 competitors from at least 3 clubs. National Championship status shall be withdrawn for the following year if the 3 year average falls below this requirement; a cancelled National Championship due to problems with the venue shall be ignored in the 3 year average.
National Championship Regulations 2019-V1 – Effective 4th February 2019