The Chief Executive of beleaguered oil giant BP has copped an unmerciful bashing in the press for taking the weekend off to sail the Round the Island Race around the Isle of Wight. 

Tony Hayward is a part owner of the Farr 52 'Bob', formerly Bear of Britain, which finished fourth in Class Zero. News sites, blogs and the internet lit up with criticism of Hayward for hob-nobbing with 'millionaire yacht owners' in the Solent while BP's broken rig continued to spew oil into the Gulf of Mexico, with no end to the crisis yet in sight.

His participation even drew comment from the White House Chief of Staff, Rahm Emanuel, who said: "I think we can all conclude that Tony Hayward is not going to have a second career in PR consulting. This has just been part of a long line of PR gaffes and mistakes."

To see the depth of the ire, simply Google 'BP CEO Sailing' and take your pick...