but we will be sailing in La Rochelle!
Despite our hopes, the Covid pandemia has not declined enough to date. There are still too many government restrictions to travel to (or from) France for some countries. We do not expect that these restrictions will be lifted shortly. Running the Worlds now would be unfair for those who cannot travel.
But we do not have to cancel the event. Many participants and families have plans, or dreams, or even bookings to travel to La Rochelle.
The good news is that the french authorities and Afidart confirm they can organise a big Dart international event, which will look very similar, yet not leading to a World Champion title. We are pleased to rename the event in The Dart 18 Gold Cup – La Rochelle – July 24th to July 30th 2021.
So there will be a chance this year to race and meet the international Dart friends for all those who can eventually travel to France.
Angelique and the AFIDART-team are highly motivated to host you all. They will communicate all details for Gold Cup shortly.
Stay tuned and keep safe
International DART 18 Association 
Dear Dart 18 friends,
No 2021 Dart 18 Worlds, but a 2021 Dart 18 Gold Cup !
This is a very strange decision. No team who registered has been consulted. Apart from GBR (due to BREXIT custom consequences) all other nations can travel. So, with 65 boats , more than in the Worlds in South Africa, or Aruba, or Portugal, or Nouméa, a Dart 18 worlds is not possible ? IDA board cannot take this kind of decision 8 weeks before the event regardless of the pre-organisation of families and workers who have planned everything months ago. This decision is blurred and bad for the Dart 18 image.
So please, wise friends, let the 2021 Dart 18 Worlds follow its life.
Otherwise, not sure I’ll be in La Rochelle, and not sure our far driving friends from GER, NED, BEL, SUI, ITA will come either.
Kind regards, Hervé LE MAUX, FRA 7977, former IDA Chairman (1999-2006), 3rd June 2021.
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Dear Herve,
Thank you for your message in this extra ordinary times. We like to clear up some of your statements about the decision to run a Dart18 Goldcup event instead of a Worlds event in 2021.
The decision is not made by the IDA board but by the IDA AGM which was held on April 1th 2021. There it was decided that if there would be travel restrictions within Europe, the worlds will be cancelled. The Dart18 nations thought it would not be fair to organise World Championships where not al Dart nations can travel to. You can find the minutes of this meeting on the IDA website. Unfortunately, Covid regulations restrict GBR sailors and sailors from other parts of the world to travel to Europe and France. Brexit custom consequences have nothing to do with this decision. So the worlds are cancelled because of Covid restrictions, not because of the number of entries.
Luckily the French organisers offered to host an International Dart18 event where the sailors that can travel to France can meet each other and sail with each other. This event is called the Goldcup. We have consulted several sailors from different nations that had entered the 2021 Worlds if they would come if the French would organise this alternative event. We only got positive reactions from these sailors. All consulted sailors mentioned to be very happy to be able to race in an International Dart event and to be able to meet Dart friends in these special times. For as far as we know at this moment no one that have entered for the Worlds have cancelled because of the renaming of the event. The teams that did cancel had personal reasons which have nothing to do with the fact that we will not sail an official title event.
Of course we realise it is a disappointment for sailors that travel from far away that we can’t sail for the World title. But we really hope to meet you in La Rochelle to race this big international event and meet each other. We all are very much looking forward to this opportunity!
Kind regards, The IDA-Committee
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Awesome blog you have herre
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