(More than) A Day at the Races
by Mark Jardine 23 Jul 07:00 AEST
Pyrotechnics are fired on the stage opposite the SailGP Grandstand ahead of racing on Race Day 2 of the Emirates Great Britain Sail Grand Prix in Portsmouth, UK © Simon Bruty for SailGP
The UK is the place to be right now if you're a sailor, and I don't think I've ever known a time when so many great events are happening concurrently.
As a journalist it does make it incredibly hard to keep up with it all, but it's good for sailing so it's time to go with the flow!
Spectacular SailGP in Southsea
Portsmouth & Southsea served up a treat for the Emirates Great Britain Sail Grand Prix. The grandstand was buzzing, the racing was thrilling, and the venue had a bit of everything.
On Sunday morning there were a variety of supporter shirts and caps on show at the Farm Kitchen, a lovely cafe in Southsea, with groups from Germany, New Zealand and Australia clearly visible.
SailGP is changing sailing forever. Fan groups have formed and have gone from casual to fanatical about their teams. Stadium sailing, which was once regarded as a pipedream, has become a reality. Yes, it started off with the Extreme Sailing Series, and the Ultimate / Ultra 30s before that, but this time critical mass is being reached to make this a truly sustainable league.
This weekend I experienced SailGP in my media role and with my family as a fan. Ahead of the racing on Friday the Press Conference was slick and esquewed a Q&A after the on-stage segment in favour of breakaway interviews with the sailors. This meant I could ask the questions I wanted to, without having to listen through those I didn't.
The sailors were refreshingly open, which has tended not to be the case around the America's Cup, when the culture of secrecy leads to all having a guarded approach to the media, as if they're on the lookout for a question that could trip them up. Many of the drivers had spent much of the past month at Lake Garda for Foiling Week and the International Moth World Championship, and were fully fired up and buzzing after the racing there.
It's great to see sailors like Tom Slingsby, Dylan Fletcher, Diego Botin, Giles Scott and Sébastien Schneiter putting it on the line against the sailing stars of the future. These sailors have done it all, so don't need to prove themselves and young guns, but their love of the sport allows them to go out and take on the world's best again, without fear of damaging their egos or reputation. It's glorious to see and I applaud them for it.
I also took a look around SailGP Technologies in Southampton, but more on that at a later date. Suffice to say it's an exceptional facility.
Sitting in the 10,000 seat grandstand on Sunday with the family was a fantastic experience. The fans were all engaged with the racing and the atmosphere was electric. I would say like a football match but, to be honest, it was far more civilised than that - more like a concert. Polite conversation, good banter, beers allowed, and the t-shirt cannons and commentary keeping everyone entertained.
There are still faults and gripes, but they're relatively minor. It would have been good to have the 'pit lane' of boats at the same site, but launch logistics meant the F50s were making their way round from Southampton Docks each day. Also having the start countdown from the livestream commentary meant that the fleet were already well over the line and away by the time zero was shouted. There are many moments where you can get away with the delay in commentary, but the start isn't one of them. Switching to one of the announcers on-site for this crucial moment would seem an obvious fix.
I've put together a short video showing what the view is like which is on YouTube here and also talked to SailGP's Chief Umpire Craig Mitchell about arguably the most controversial decision of the weekend, where in Race 6, as the Canadian Northstar SailGP team gybed on to starboard towards Gate 2 on the second leg, together with Rockwool Denmark, coming in towards Emirates GBR SailGP Team and Australian's BONDS Flying Roos to the right of them.
The Flying Roos were penalised, which infuriated Driver Tom Slingsby, so I found out how the decision was made and why the Australians were found to be in the wrong, together with views of the incident from multiple angles and UmpApp's tracking of the boats. Do give us your views as to whether you think the decision was right or wrong!
12 years of the Andrew Simpson Foundation
When there's a weekend like we've just had in the UK some things can pass you by... but not the Andrew Simpson Foundation event held on the observation deck of the Spinnaker Tower in Portsmouth.
Hosted by Iain Percy and David 'Freddie' Carr, some luminaries of sailing and SailGP were talking, including Giles Scott, Chris Draper, Tash Bryant, Kyle Langford and Hannah Mills, with the best questions asked by the kids who've benefitted from the Andrew Simpson Foundation.
The organisation has evolved over time, and is putting real focus on outcomes, creating pathways from first time on the water to competitive sailing at international events. The feeling is still raw amongst many after we lost Bart back in 2013, but what has been achieved in his name is exceptional and something everyone who has donated to the foundation should be proud of. Sail on Bart.
Admiral's Cup under way
We're bringing you comprehensive coverage of the revived Admiral's Cup, with the fifteen teams having now completed the first offshore race and two inshore races. It's early days, but the pecking order is starting to take shape with James Murray's New Zealand yacht Callisto proving the form boat in AC2 and Matt Adams' Monaco yacht Jolt 3 and Giovanni Lombardi Stronati's Italian yacht Django WR51 battling at the top of AC1.
It's great to see the Admiral's Cup back where it should be. Teams from around the world have travelled to Cowes to support the revival and they're being rewarded with truly top class racing.
I can't wait to watch the fleet head out of the Solent on the 100th Anniversary Rolex Fastnet Race, and we'll be bringing you all the news as it happens.
WASZP Games Marathon Race
On Wednesday I'm heading down to the Weymouth & Portland National Sailing Academy to witness the Marathon Race at the WASZP Games. The intention is to get all 247 boats on to a single line out in Weymouth Bay to start the race. It's going to be a unique spectacle, so there was no way I could miss it. While down there I'll chat to some of the sailors as well as trying to get some good photos and footage of the event.
Right now every day is a Day at the Races. Sailing is breaking into the mainstream with SailGP, new people are being introduced to the sport, a dormant giant has awoken in the Admiral's Cup, and foiling is going from strength to strength. It's an exciting and exhausting time!
Mark Jardine
Sail-World.com and YachtsandYachting.com Managing Editor