Big Yellow Taxi

by John Curnow on 30 Jan 2017 Unabashedly, this is all about utilising a few lines from the famous Joni Mitchell song. “Don't it always seem to go, That you don't know what you've got, ‘Til it's gone. They paved paradise, And put up a parking lot.”

So it all stemmed from the wonderful news that the mighty Volvo Ocean Race will once again have an Australian stopover at the end of this year, beginning of 2018. It has not been here since January 2006, when the hugely powerful VO70s had that terrific in-port race on Port Phillip. In all, this is a terrific opportunity for interest in the race to increase dramatically, and that could have major benefits elsewhere within our sport.

So with its return to our shores it almost opens up the chance for a new verse to her tune to be written. We’re not going to do that here, but many, many parties will now be a raucous chorus for the opportunity to showcase dear old Oz to the world, especially with so many sailors taking part in the VOR, and the AC for that matter. Maybe the verse will have words like we do know what we’ve got because it was gone…

Sail-World.com broke the possibility back on October 18, 2016, with Here’s The News. At any rate, the Volvo Ocean Race sent Aussie Nick Bice down for the announcement last Friday. Speaking with Mark Turnbull OAM, who organised the 2006 stopover, we got to learn that it is not a pitstop as originally thought, but a short stopover, and one that will not affect the Chinese stop in any way.

Turnbull said, “There will be no point scoring in-port race, but rather a Pro-Am type day for the sponsors. There is no management announcement as yet, or engagement of resources to make it all happen, but I am very happy about seeing it here again, that’s for sure!”

“It might be St Kilda or even Geelong, but it is Docklands for now and it will be a massive job in a short timeframe.” Certainly will be a very, very short runway, with Volvo indicating a Christmas arrival time. Kind of makes you think that whomever gets the nod to make it happen will require JATO rockets to be fitted to the C-130 Hercules called Melbourne Stopover, so as to ensure it gets airborne. None the less, it will be a complete sporting bonanza with the Test and Hobart all going on concurrently.

It is totally disparate scenario, in a sense, for I very much wanted to say thank you to all the volunteers who make our sport happen. Yes, many will be needed for the stopover, and we’ll let you know where that queue begins as soon as it comes to hand.

However, it was more about the shore based and on-water people who go to great lengths to get us racing. Smaller clubs are possibly even more blessed than bigger ones here, purely due to having a smaller pool to draw from. Yet given the theme of our editorial, there was a very specific reference to ask everyone to appreciate what they have right now, rather than continually whinge about how it could be better.

If you have not ever done any race management, then please go and volunteer. Even if just the once, you will get an appreciation for the challenges faced whilst at anchor. Decisions have to be made quickly, and they go to great lengths to see that they are correct, but until you have been there, you may not fully appreciate all that goes in to getting you a result.

It is more than just saying thanks as you cross the line. More than buying them a drink at the bar afterwards, although all of that should be done as a matter of course. Remember, they come each week, just as you do, but they go to work, and not for money. Their satisfaction comes from seeing a job well done and having an active and healthy life.

Don’t like it? Try it! I am sure your own rhetoric will tone down significantly after a day strapped to an anchor rode in a big sea, or after the sixth time you have hauled and reset a mark with 20+m of rope and chain down below. Time has become an even more precious commodity in the last decade and shows no signs of devaluing anytime soon, so to all those that give it freely, and behalf of all sailors, I say thank you. May you get the full respect of all of your club members. You deserve it!

So just as our Big Yellow Taxi pulls into the kerb, metaphorically speaking, it was also interesting to read about President Trump’s Executive Order and then ponder the impacts it will have on sport, as well as people in general. Thinking about all the events the USA stands to lose if their new country of origin ban is implemented is significant, as too the chances of some sort of reprisal. Hhhhmmmmmm…

Lastly then, and on a positive, special mention must go to IDEC Sport, and especially Francis Joyon, Bernard Stamm, Sébastien Audigane, Gwénolé Gahinet, Alex Pella, Clément Surtel, and also Marcel van Triest, for cracking the Jules Verne. Reducing it to 40 days, 23 hours, 30 minutes and 30 seconds, is almost half the whole original notion and gives a mind-blowing average of just under 23 knots for the whole lap. WOW!

They took 4 days, 14 hours, 12 minutes and 23 seconds of Banque Populaire V’s record, so it was great to see the magnificent Loïck Peyron comment, “Well done! A record is meant to be broken and this boat shows that often “old saucepans make the best soup.” (There’s many a good tune played on an old fiddle). This is an impressive record and encourages me to give it another go…”

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