Edward VII Gold Cup reaches the semi-finals and finals stage this weekend.

The shift in direction of Hurricane Gert to a more northwesterly course, bringing its passage closer to the Island, means organisers may have to alter the schedule.

Today's racing is planned to include the semi-finals and the play-offs for fifth to eighth places. But if Gert turns into more than a potential threat, the petit finals for third and fourth places may also be run today instead of tomorrow.

Gert is not scheduled to reach its closest approach to the Island until Monday lunchtime, but it is such a large system, its winds could have a dramatic effect on the conditions for sailing the IOD boats.

Principal race officer Charles Tatem explained: "It's not just a scenario of finishing the racing. People have to put the boats away and the support craft.

All these things we need to be cautious about.

"What I would like to see is the semi-finals and fifth to eighth places completed on Saturday and if the weather looks really bad the petit finals as well.

"That way we would only have to put two boats away on Sunday. But I would hate to have to run everything on Saturday.'' Tatem said that winds in excess of 25 knots would probably force racing to be postponed.