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Sail-World.com : Technology takes racing to the world
Technology takes racing to the world
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Onboard YuuZoo, Twitter, YouTube and multi-platform communications will take the thrill of the racing during the Rolex Sydney to Hobart to the world.
Just four days before the start of the 65th Rolex Sydney to Hobart Yacht Race, Finnish born Ludde Ingvall is extolling the potential of Twitter and benefits of YouTube.
As one of the most experienced and successful ocean racing yachtsmen on the international scene, Ludde took out line honours in the Sydney-Hobart in 2000 and 2004 in Nicorette, the Fastnet Race in 1995, World Championship titles in 1997 and 1998, and the transatlantic monohull record in 1997.
Ludde has been absent from the Sydney to Hobart since 2004, when he took a break to 'shovel horse manure' at his purpose-built farm and five-star equestrian centre complete with 40 horses, Kitara Lodge, on the New South Wales Central Coast.
But five years on, as well as craving an arena where he was again master, it was the lure of the super-maxis that brought Ludde back. 'I’ve had a fantastic break and reignited my passion for the sport. When I heard there would be the biggest fleet ever of 90 to 100ft maxis, I decided I better get back into training.'
He continues: 'It’s the toughest race in the world. I’ve done two Volvo Ocean Races and nothing compares to what you encounter in Bass Strait. Plus, I thought I better get back to where people listen to what I say,' he says, half-joking, referring to his five year stint as farm-hand.
Just 10 weeks prior the start, Ludde made the decision to enter. His 90ft Maxi, renamed YuuZoo is crewed and kitted up with electronic gadgetry and gear of every sort, with a level of GPS and Broadband he says is 'previously unheard of'.
But this time, it’s not with the winner’s zeal that he takes to the December 26 start line, but a passion for mentoring the next generation – a generation enamoured with social networking.
As Ludde explains: 'In our sport, when you score goals, it’s in the middle of Bass Strait, where nobody can see or share these experiences. It’s crazy that you have 21 people on a crew, each with his or her own story and personal response to the race and yet only the Captain or sailing identity is quoted in the media in pre-race interviews and finish-line interviews.'
Not so long ago, media was slow and stories were limited to results, stats and the occasional incident. 'There was a time when it was 30 days before you get to your next port,' recounts Ludde, 'And even then you’d have to sum up 30 days in a half hour interview for a magazine article which would come out two months later.'
In this age of digital media, racing, like every other facet of life, needs to keep pace with consumers’ demand for information and entertainment – as the Olympic Games refers to it: 'The emotion behind the motion'.
'People want to know what’s happening on a continual basis. Racing is an adventure like climbing Mount Everest and if you can convey that story every step of the way, it is more interesting to the public and they are carried along by the same wave of excitement as those of us who experience it first hand.'
At 53, but feeling just 23, Ludde has his sights firmly set on broadcasting the sport to everybody, everywhere, via any medium conceivable.
YuuZoo will be connected to the internet throughout the race, with 10 onboard cameras streaming constant vision of what is going on above deck, and plenty of especially robust computers below so the crew will be able to relay their personal experiences and achievements.
For avid followers, Ludde is offering an array of incentives to follow the journey of YuuZoo and its crew. He hopes that by the time they reach Hobart, hundreds of thousands of digital crewmembers will be on board sharing the adventure. Send your name through Facebook and it will be inscribed on the inside of the hull.
'It’s time we allowed the youngsters to tell how they are experiencing being on a big boat, being part of a professional racing team, on this amazing adventure. I still remember my first ever sail on a big boat in a big race – the incredible adrenalin. It was a massive experience.'
Depicting the race through the eyes and Tweets of young sailors will inspire other kids to take the plunge, he believes.
'I want to encourage the enthusiasm and ambition of the next generation, taking their stories to a wider global audience. New technology can make that happen and amplify what is great about our sport to a worldwide market.'
And what is great about sailing? For Ludde, born on an island in the Finnish Archipelago where the only way to get around was by boat, the appeal of the pastime and the sport is myriad.
'Sailing offers you the ultimate opportunity for leadership, team work, adventure and the application of technology. All this, as well as the life lessons that make people better human beings.'
'There is some fantastic talent out there, bursting with dreams and desire for adventure. My aim these days is not to achieve something for my own ambition, but to foster a professional team, capable of achieving each person’s ambitions through their collective talents. I would like to teach as many people as I can how to live their sport safely and successfully.'
The Rolex Sydney to Hobart is the ideal vehicle to reach and motivate the sailors of the future.
'The event takes you back to the nitty gritty of racing. Anybody who finishes has the right to call themselves a winner. You have to be realistic. Chances are you will get in to trouble out there and when you do, you will rely on your competition for assistance. The camaraderie is just as important as the rivalry.'
Follow the team on www.bigboatracing.com and find out more about YuuZoo at www.yuuzoo.com
by Jeni Bone
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http://www.sail-world.com/index.cfm?nid=64647
4:01 AM Tue 22 Dec 2009 GMT
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