I don’t agree in the least. Point to point distance races are believed to have started with sailboats in the Netherlands some time in the 17th century. Who started them? It was commercial ships that took pride in their speed advantage.
Although I do agree that safety should be a top concern, I’m not sure it isn’t (especially with the fully professional crews that participate in the Volvo). This accident occurred 30 miles outside of port in open waters. And even if the race curtailed the course further out, the boats would still need to navigate back to dock following the race. It doesn’t seem any more realistic to ban a sailing yacht from a particularly busy harbor than it would to ban fishing boats.
While unfortunate and regrettable, the fact that this collision involved both a race boat and a non-participating vessel seems no more incendiary than any other collision at sea. All the mariners involved (the sailors and the fishermen) were professionals trying to make a living.