this post was submitted on 23 Mar 2024
22 points (100.0% liked)

Aotearoa / New Zealand

1643 readers
35 users here now

Kia ora and welcome to !newzealand, a place to share and discuss anything about Aotearoa in general

Rules:

FAQ ~ NZ Community List ~ Join Matrix chatroom

 

Banner image by Bernard Spragg

Got an idea for next month's banner?

founded 1 year ago
MODERATORS
[email protected]
[email protected]
22
SailGP's first day cancelled after dolphins spotted on course (www.rnz.co.nz)
submitted 7 months ago by [email protected] to c/[email protected]
7 comments fedilink hide all child comments
 

The first day of the SailGP racing event in Lyttelton has been abandoned after dolphins were sighted on the course.

The race was due to get under way about 3pm, but was delayed after the dolphins were spotted.

After they had not moved on about two hours later, the race was called off entirely.

Concerns about Hector's dolphins had been raised prior to the event.

Two dolphins had been spotted in the area, within 300 metres of the boats, during the final race in 2023.

But despite being told to stop racing, the event director allowed it to go ahead.

That led to an independent decision-maker being appointed for this year's event. They sit in the control room and are tasked with halting racing if any dolphins are seen.

Organisers have acknowledged that boat strikes are likely to be fatal to dolphins.

top 7 comments
sorted by: hot top controversial new old
[–] [email protected] 7 points 7 months ago (1 children)

Event Director sounds like a real asshole

[–] [email protected] 3 points 7 months ago

So does old mate Coutts, to be honest.

[–] [email protected] 5 points 7 months ago (1 children)

Good, the dolphins are too rare to risk an accident

[–] [email protected] 6 points 7 months ago* (last edited 7 months ago)

A bit crazy that they had to bring in an independent person to cancel the race since the organizers couldn't be trusted to do it despite being given clear guidelines on when to cancel.

[–] [email protected] 5 points 7 months ago

This drawing on the wiki is great

[–] [email protected] 3 points 7 months ago (1 children)

Did you see the interview from afterwards? https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=WwUoq6Gdk-g

[–] [email protected] 2 points 7 months ago

I didn't! Haha you can tell he thinks it's ridiculous that they can't sail with dolphins on the course. Other things I've seen also said they were told now was a bad time to run it, because of the high likelihood of dolphins on the course, but they pushed ahead with the date anyway.