Don’t mess with the Greek government

Rule 4 in the Racing Rules of Sailing states, “The responsibility for a boat’s decision to participate in a race or to continue racing is hers alone.” It is a liability clause to relieve event host from responsibility, but often the decision is taken by the organizing authority when they deem conditions unsafe.

But on day one of the 2022 Formula Kite European Championships in Nafpaktos, the weather forecast in western Greece was so apocalyptic that the government forbade any on-water activity on September 27, 2022.

When the principal race officer called the 139 riders together for a morning meeting to share the news, there was a look of genuine shock and surprise to hear that this wasn’t just the race officer saying, ‘don’t go out’, it was the Greek government.

When one rider stuck his hand up to ask if he could go out for fun anyway, the event organizer informed all participants that it would be illegal to do so. Serious stuff.