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PostPosted: Thu Oct 12, 2006 6:55 pm 
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I am just curious, there appear to no professional sail racing events with cash or prizes.

You can make a living Fishing or Racing just about anything but a sailboat.

Seems it would really liven up the sport of sailing and get more people involved in it. Catamaran sailing and some of the fast skiffs would make for some interesting TV coverage - just think of the skiff race in the beginning of Wind.

Local comments are that it is a blue blood sport and they would not approve of that.

SailorJoe


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PostPosted: Fri Oct 13, 2006 5:46 am 
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Agreed!!!

I wish catamaran racing was on TV. Was the Volvo Extreme 40 race for money?

The 18ft skiff (F1 circuit) was a cool idea, lots of action, and wild crashes.


http://www.f1sail.com/home.asp

Click on/watch the video down the left side. Awesome stuff 8)

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PostPosted: Fri Oct 13, 2006 6:06 am 
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It's more like "Racing Stakes - not much in USA sailing"....

There are a couple of major windsurfing regattas that have money for the pro divisions. But that's about all I'm aware of.

Most of the major USA sailboat racing events (like Leukemia Cup) are more about raising money for charities than fattening the pockets of the sailors. The recently held Hobie 18/20 Nationals is an excellent example of "Racing for Charities". Over $300k for St Jude.

Personally, I'd rather see something like that than money prizes to the top sailors. Sailing races are already gear wars (IMO). Having monetary prizes would only make it worse.

Brian C


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 Post subject: TV Coverage of races
PostPosted: Fri Oct 13, 2006 9:04 am 
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Location: Nepean S.C. Ottawa, Canada
Some years ago, I had the pleasure of sitting next to Ron McLean, the TV host of Hockey Night in Canada, on a flight from Philadelphia to Ottawa. (He is the straight guy to Don Cherry's noisemaking, and they make a fine team.) To my surprise, Ron told me that in summer, he races, and it sounds like he does excellent bow work on a J24, Toronto Harbour weekly keelboat or something like that.

We both agreed that TV coverage for any kind of sailboat racing really sucks. His answer was that #1, we need BIG TIME commercial sponsorship, (dream on guys,) and #2, it needs HUGE resources, like ten powerboats out on the water, with six TV camera/sound/technical people on each boat, a studio tractor-trailer etc, all for maybe a 30 second clip on the 11 pm news!

The only REALLY good TV coverage that I recall, was sponsored coverage (ABC) of the Gary Jobson hosted America's Cup in New Zealand, a couple of years ago. Remember that each America's cup contender had around six videocams on board, a dual live GPS set up hooked up to a BIG computer so that Gary could commentate live in real time as they tacked, all with live computer simulations. That must have been a HUGE investment, and they set a wonderfully high standard.

IMHO, folks like those wonderful people who raised $300 K could try and get a sponsor (?Budweiser?) to cover the TV costs of a National Event, and then 'co-sell' the TV rights to The Outdoor Channel or TSN or someone. Matt may be able to help hook up some of his contacts with National or HRA Race Committees. or folks like Brian Joder may have contacts. What are your thoughts, guys? Even the TV coverage of the Volvo 40 Series was sooooo light, it was hard to find.

Every year, in late August, CORK (The Canadian Olympic Regatta at Kingston,) offers the best sailing in most classes, from Optimists to Laser Youth, Laser Adult, Cats, Albacores, 420's, 505 etc. Kingston, at the eastern edge of Lake Ontario, is one of the sailing capitals of the world, and has wonderful people, great sailing, and CORK is a world class event. Try and find TV coverage. Locally, they get maybe 30 seconds of airtime at 6pm and two minutes at 11 pm.

Anybody know the head honcho at a beer company or an auto company?

Keep sailing

Guys like NASCAR have done such a superb job of marketing, and they were smart about it. They now have so many dollars behind them, may

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PostPosted: Fri Oct 13, 2006 9:45 am 
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I think racing for $ could be a great thing for the sport. We continue to hear that sailing is an aging sport and more young people need to be attracted to it. Prize money could very well help the cause.

It could be said that more money could be raised if there was a prize purse. I beleive it would attract more people to the sport.

I think dingy racing in general could make for excellent TV ie Lasers, 505s, Hobies etc. and comparatively to other sporting events I don't think it would cost that much more ie NASCAR (wonder how many cameras and crew they have over a 2.5 mile course?)


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PostPosted: Fri Oct 13, 2006 10:13 am 
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Just to make sure everyone knows where the bar is set for cat sailing, promotional videos.

I wonder how much this cost?

http://www.thebeachcats.com/modules.php?op=modload&name=Downloads&file=index&req=getit&lid=27

You don't even want to see their video filmed in Aruba :roll:

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PostPosted: Fri Oct 13, 2006 11:51 am 
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There must have been a helicopter used for that. Have you seen the Tybee vids from adventureonlinetv.com? Or the Statue of Liberty vid from Team Velocity. A remote controlled plane was used in the Tybee shots. They even did the F18 NAs with a camera apparently mounted on the mast. I race Mt bikes and surf competitively with no prize money except return of entry fee. Nissan currently sponsors Tigers in Europe. Nissan embraces the extreme crowd and markets directly to them, maybe they would have interest. GM and Ford certainly don't have the money to sponsor anything. Maybe the cigarette companies would take sailing on since they are banned from motorsports. What about the offshore racing boats, Budweiser. Red Bull is big in the extreme Mt. Bike world. This seems very possible. How to make it happen is the difficult part. There was a day when you could get new sails at no cost if you would advertise for a local hotel in Myrtle Beach. I still have a main with the Sheraton logo on it. I have no idea how much work it would take to pull this off but if linked to Olympic racing maybe the government would get involved, US Army F18 race team! Ha! Ha!


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PostPosted: Fri Oct 13, 2006 1:59 pm 
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Hey Eaton, I'll race you for $5. I heard you stepped it up a ton at 20s this year, so maybe we'll have to make it $10.
cw


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PostPosted: Fri Oct 13, 2006 4:43 pm 
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Now that video was exciting as any sport! It had everything you look for in sport ... speed ... crashes and excitement.

Fund raisers would only benefit by an increase in the sport! Essentially these are where the average guy can have his day or as is more often the case a beer ;)

Class racing opens the door financially for anyone that wishes to put the time in.

Technology has really lowered the bar for video also and an HD camera is not all that much. I was watching HD Net and "Airtime" and it could be an example of a format that may work for sailing. Edit out the boring stuff and just show the cool stuff.

It just seems that this is a chance for sailing to get get a big push over motor boats with the issues of environment and cost of fuel.

Catamarans certainly bring the clean excitement, that's why we sail them!

Just a thought ;)

SailorJoe ;)


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PostPosted: Fri Oct 13, 2006 4:47 pm 
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If you can sell fishing and goodness sakes GOLF! It almost sounds ridiculous.


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PostPosted: Fri Oct 13, 2006 5:16 pm 
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One thing to remember is that sailing is a lousy spectator sport. Much of the real action occurs far away from the average spectator. Helicopters would only piss of the sailors. Ditto with power boats.

Yeah, I think golf is a lousy spectator sport too, but it at least offers the spectator a chance to get very close to the "stars" during the competition.

Brian C


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PostPosted: Fri Oct 13, 2006 8:17 pm 
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This is very interesting, I would love to see sailing become a huge sport in the world. Has anyone noticed all the recent stuff on here about bringing sailing back.

If enough people get going with this it could really turn into something big. But there would have to be a big push with sponsers and spectators. Now to the spectators, as has already be talked about. Sailing is not a spectator sport, but there are ways that it could be. I have seen some videos filmed with remote aircraft, that would seem to work well if done safely. Then what about some cameras on the boats, or helmet cams on the crews. That would add to things alot. Some huge tvs with lots of cameras. I think that would help get things started.

Speaking of money involved in racing. I am interested in getting a group of people together in Oklahoma for a race. Nothing huge and I am not talking about a regatta or anything. Just a group of guys wanting to race. I know that there would be differences of boats but that would be okay. We could figure out a way to work that out. If anyone is interest just write back on here.

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PostPosted: Mon Oct 16, 2006 7:22 am 
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CW,

We'll race for nothing, the money can go to promotion of the sport. I know you have as much fun as we do just competing on the water. When the "average guys" can have a momemt of brilliance (even if a fleeting moment) amongest the continents best is loads of fun :D The essense of class racing.

gree from Norman,

Quote:
Nothing huge and I am not talking about a regatta or anything. Just a group of guys wanting to race.
My Funk & Wagnell defines regatta as a race or series of races. So regatta is one less word than "sailboat race" and if you get together, may as well have more than one? There are some events to be scheduled for next year in your area. One will be the daggerless (waves, 14's & 16's) regatta at Lake Hefner in OKC.

Contact [email protected] of Fleet 63 in Norman, OK and check out www.div14.hobieclass.com

Just a bunch of Hobie friends you haven't met...yet.

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PostPosted: Wed Oct 18, 2006 8:27 am 
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Say John Eaton,

I have the Aruban Spitfire video but I can't remember where I got it. I wanted to send it to several of my friends but the file is too large to e-mail. Would like to send them the link but can't remember where I got it and it's not on Beachcats. Very inspirational video. It's my motivational sailing video. :^ )

Happy Sailing,

David


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PostPosted: Wed Oct 18, 2006 8:52 am 
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Here you go David,

spituba, Spitfire's in Aruba

http://www.spitfiresailing.org.uk/data/spituba05_256.wmv

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