Yacht Racing live on Internet and TV

by Kate Fairclough/Sail-World on 21 Oct 2006 New models for sports broadcasting continues to emerge with Spanish television broadcaster ETB set to stream their 90 minute live broadcast of the Velux 5 Oceans race start this Sunday to the web.

The first live television broadcasts using satellite were beamed to stations around the world for re-broadcast back in the 1960’s and the jerky images from the moon landing in 1969, were a lot like early internet vision jerky and fuzzy. Now as broadband becomes faster and faster, broadband TV is now a reality.

On Sunday sailors around the globe will be able to watch the start of the world’s toughest sporting event, as the eight competitors’ battle their way across the start-line and set off on the ultimate solo challenge.

ETB, along with APP Broadcast - host broadcast and production services for the race – will be filming the start live on the water, providing the images viewers can see in real time in the comfort of their own homes. The live on-line broadcast will be able to be viewed without subscription, free of charge. Spanish broadcaster ETB will also broadcast the race start live on Spanish television, during a 90 minute programme on Sunday afternoon.

This classic race, which kicks off at 1300 hrs (local time) Sunday 22nd October, covers 30,000 miles and three gruelling legs from Bilbao (Basque Country) to Fremantle (Western Australia) to Norfolk (Virginia, USA), and then back to Bilbao in April 2007. Billed as the toughest round-the-world race, the eight skippers will be embarking upon a punishing six months of racing, throughout which they will be tortured by sleep deprivation, and battered by treacherous seas and raging winds. Racing solo, round the world cannot be compared to any other sporting event. Only 163 people have ever sailed around the world single-handed. Three times as many have been into space, and more than 15,000 have climbed Everest.

Sail-World will be running features from the race. The event will use the latest technology to send back footage and host live video meetings throughout this epic journey. Boasting one of the most diverse international line-ups in sailing, Sir Robin Knox-Johnston, a sailing legend and the first man to sail around the world non-stop single-handed in 1969 has chosen to make a dramatic return to professional yacht racing to compete in the Velux 5 Oceans. Current race title holder, Bernard Stamm, is setting out to defend his title, fighting off tough competition from Brits Mike Golding and Alex Thomson, Japanese entrant Kojiro Shiraishi, Kiwi Grant Dalton, along with Tim Troy of the USA, and local hero, Unai Basurko.

www.velux5oceans.com