INSTRUCTIONS FOR COMPETITORS

Arriving at DATCHET

On arrival you will be warmly welcomed and directed to parking with competitors and blue badge holders at the clubhouse level and visitors down on the lower level.

The event office on the south side of the clubhouse will face you when you arrive on the upper level.  Please note that there is a strict one-way system for vehicles around the site which will be clearly signposted.

The event office is where you can ask questions and register your entry just before your equipment inspection time.

At registration you will also be able to book partner’s and friends for the 3 main social events for a charge of £10 for each event.

We will operate a cashless system during the event.

The Datchet reservoir site is a secure site with locked or manned gates during the event.  The site is open from 10am on Thursday 14^th May 2026 and closed to competitors after 17:00 on Sunday 24^th May.

CATERING

On Friday there will be a café open from 10am to 3pm and then from Saturday and all race days, the café will be open from 8am until 3pm and after there will be a bar service upstairs in the clubhouse also serving tea, coffee, and a selection of cakes.

There will be three dinners offered during the Event week served on the top floor of the clubhouse.  We will cater for vegetarians and gluten free.

The opening ceremony will include a buffet served on the upper floor of the clubhouse.

There will be a BBQ on Tuesday night prior to the lay day which will be held outside if weather permits.

On the final Saturday night, the prizegiving will be held before a hog roast dinner is served with non-meat alternatives, wrapping up the event.

Competitors will be provided with a lunch on all racing days available from the canteen area in the clubhouse. You will receive tokens at registration to exchange for your lunch for each day of racing.

We will organise some fun events in the evening for those staying on site.

Visitors/Partners

All visitors are welcome to the event. Datchet is a secure site, and we must be careful who has access to the event. You will be surprised who sneaks into the grounds from the local area. If you enter or leave the site and see the main gate open, please close and lock it.

To help track attendees, we ask anyone (who isn’t a competitor or volunteer) with a car to prebook via the web site. There is no charge.

Visitors will have access across the site and are welcome to use the facilities and catering in the clubhouse.  Photos and video may be taken, but please respect the space of competitors and the race team whilst races are in progress.

CAMPING & MOTORHOMES

Spaces are available for visitors and competitors.  For details, please see the “Travel and Stay” section of the web site. https://www.iomworlds2026.com/travel-and-stay/

Toilets facilities

Toilet facilities will be available across the site, in the clubhouse, in the racing and camping areas and there is a disposal point for motor homes.

CLUBHOUSE

Datchet has an extensive clubhouse with male and female changing rooms with showers. There is a café downstairs in the canteen, our event office and two rooms used for equipment inspection.  Upstairs, where the main social events will be held, there is the evening bar.

BOAT STORAGE OVERNIGHT AND RACING

Boats can be stored overnight upstairs in a dedicated room in the clubhouse. Batteries must not be stored or charged in the Boat Storage Area.

You will be notified in good time which course we plan to use at the start of the day. Prior to and between races, boats can be rested on grass banks or sat on stands on the North and South courses. We would recommend bringing a mat or stand to rest your boat on in case we use the course area in front of the clubhouse as the area is all concrete.

REGISTRATION AND EQUIPMENT INSPECTION

This will take place downstairs in the clubhouse starting with registration in the event office. You will show your measurement certificate and Personal Sail Number if applicable and receive your measurement forms. Equipment inspection will start with the weighing of the fin/bulb, then hull with battery, pot lid and all three rigs (no need to set up each rig, they are placed on a customised tray. Please bring all the batteries you intend to use during the event as they will all be marked. Your rigs and sails will be checked for compliance with the rules. Finally, using the heaviest rig and battery, the boat is floated in a tank to check hull draft, overall depth and hull length. If your boat shows any signs of water internally or externally before weighing, you will asked to return later to complete the process when the boat is clearly dry.

BATTERY CHARGING

Under no circumstances can any battery be charged (or stored) in the clubhouse. A charging area will be established in a sheltered area on the south side of the clubhouse.

LAUNCH AND RETRIEVAL PLATFORMS BUOYANCY AIDS

Buoyancy aids or life-jackets (Personal Floatation Devices (PFD’s) must be worn when launching and retrieving your boat.  A limited number are available which can be obtained from the Equipment Inspection room (strictly on a first come first served basis). Launching areas will be clearly defined in the site plan.

FOOTWEAR

Please bring comfortable shoes. The main walking areas are on concrete or gravel tracks. The three racecourse and start areas vary from adjacent to the clubhouse to 250 yards away. Some competitors have used trollies to move kit when changing racecourse area.

PRACTICE RACING

Our race team will set up a course and start box for practice on the two equipment inspection days (Friday and Saturday).

Communication

The Official notice board will be located in the Canteen on the ground floor of the clubhouse.

We will run a competitors WhatsApp group which will have one way traffic from the race team and event organisers and used for key messaging, posting results and any SI changes. If there are significant postponements, we will endeavour to communicate through this media. In addition, we will have loud hailers, portable Public Address system in the race area and the club outdoor speaker system.

RESULTS POSTING

Results will be posted on the 2026 IOM Worlds web site, MYA Downwind and the Competitor WhatsApp group. Paper copies will also be posted in the clubhouse.

What weather can you expect

Who knows? Anything from cold, wet and windy, to sunshine, heat and calm. This is England after all. Do bring Suntan lotion and a hat as UV is strong at this time of year.

MEDIA PRESENTATION

Our plan is to upload videos of all the heats race by race which should be posted onto YouTube thirty minutes or so after completion of each race.  In addition, we will be providing daily summaries, interviews and photo and video gallery of on and off the water activities.

IN IT TO WIN IT

At approximately 7pm each evening we will have a free competitor draw for items donated by our generous sponsors. The title says it all.

Questions

Please send them to [email protected]