GJW Direct Bloody Mary 2022 cancelled

46th GJW Direct Bloody Mary © Mark Jardine / YachtsandYachting.com

After careful consideration, Queen Mary Sailing Club have very reluctantly decided to cancel the 2022 Bloody Mary due to be run on Saturday 8th January. This is the second year in a row that the Bloody Mary has been cancelled due to a worsening winter Covid situation.

Club Commodore Andrew Craig said, "The Bloody Mary has gained its reputation over the years as a rare opportunity to race amongst up to 300 boats on one race course with typically 400 competitors taking part. Together with our on-water and on-land helpers plus spectators this means usually 600 people are on site all day - and in winter. Even with some restrictions on clubhouse use it is inevitable that the event brings many people into close proximity. We could not see how to run a safe event at anything like the usual level of entries. This decision has also been taken in the light of the worsening coronavirus situation in the country and the potential for the current guidance on minimising mixing indoors becoming enforcement in the New Year."

Sailing Committee Chair Bob Joce said, "We needed to decide now if we could and would go ahead. It is a big task for our club involving 100 volunteers and staff to run the race on land and on water. We needed to let our great band of helpers know what was happening, as well as all competitors. We are very sorry not to be able to hold the 2022 race but are looking to see if we could run a major handicap event in the summer instead."