Sydney-Hobart, same old same old?
December 9th 2006 19:12
I have been starting to read the preliminary reports on the coming Sydney - Hobart yacht race. The reporters, after reporting on the event for who knows how many years seem to me, to be using a tried and true format on the race.
1) Report that the race is on. (This is fair enough)
2) Report that it is the toughest race on the planet. (Ho Hum)
3) Report on its modest beginnings as an annual cruise started by English visitor Capt Illingworth. (Why hasn't it remained a cruise)
4) Spend many paragraphs speculating on the biggest yacts and a couple of sentances speculating on the smallest.
5) Trot out the guys and boats that have done the most Hobarts
6) Compare our disatstrous Hobarts with the 78 disaster off England.
And so it goes on. The adjectives are the same and the mood is the same.
It is a great race and it needs great reporting!
I personaly don't do the Sydney Hobart race as I am a chicken. I have been ofered plenty of rides but guys now know not to bother. It is going in the wrong direction even in summer. Rotten conditions and long periods of true discomfort. My hat is off to those that do it. I have had crew come off racing boats that have done two races wanting to now learn how to sail. For both races they sat on the rail, holding the boat in the water with their weight and got on the piss in Hobart. It cost them a heap of money, they think they had a good time but they did not learn how to sail. That is not denegrating the guys and girls who sail very well. You have to to be serious about the race but newbies are allowed on to cut the costs. Nothing wrong with that either but of course there is no time during the race to teach them to sail.
Many skippers and crew do the race for what I feel are the right reasons. They are racing purely because it is a race and a challenge. No fuss, no search of glory just doing the race. It has become an expensive excercise with insurance premiums going through the roof. Because of this boats become sponsored and the sponsors name is then somehow entangled in the name of the boat. A well named yacht then becomes some thing ridiulous like
"Lucinda@bigpond.com" You can't refer to the boat without refering to the sponsor. It is a sign of our times but I miss the romanticly named yachts and the guessing of why they are named as they are.
Other skippers just throw millions of dollars at the event in the hope of getting all the pre race glory and the cup all in one go. Nothing wrong with that either but just because someone is chucking shitloads of their own or their sponsors money around it is not news!
When covering the event from start to finish the sports announcers again concentrate on the biggest and most glamorous yachts. A small mention maybe of a competitor that they know well but apart from that it is up to each person who wants news of the boats they are personaly interested in to go on the CYCA web and checkout progress. This is a fairly new and most welcome part of the race. Imagine though calling the Melbourne Cup. knowing that everyone in Australia has a horse of some sort they are interested in and the whole race goes by without that horse even being mentioned. Now the horse race callers can do it in a two minute race I can't see why the newspaper, radio and televison reporters can't do it over an event that lasts over four days.
To me the Sydney Hobart, same old, same old.
1) Report that the race is on. (This is fair enough)
2) Report that it is the toughest race on the planet. (Ho Hum)
3) Report on its modest beginnings as an annual cruise started by English visitor Capt Illingworth. (Why hasn't it remained a cruise)
4) Spend many paragraphs speculating on the biggest yacts and a couple of sentances speculating on the smallest.
6) Compare our disatstrous Hobarts with the 78 disaster off England.
And so it goes on. The adjectives are the same and the mood is the same.
It is a great race and it needs great reporting!
I personaly don't do the Sydney Hobart race as I am a chicken. I have been ofered plenty of rides but guys now know not to bother. It is going in the wrong direction even in summer. Rotten conditions and long periods of true discomfort. My hat is off to those that do it. I have had crew come off racing boats that have done two races wanting to now learn how to sail. For both races they sat on the rail, holding the boat in the water with their weight and got on the piss in Hobart. It cost them a heap of money, they think they had a good time but they did not learn how to sail. That is not denegrating the guys and girls who sail very well. You have to to be serious about the race but newbies are allowed on to cut the costs. Nothing wrong with that either but of course there is no time during the race to teach them to sail.
Many skippers and crew do the race for what I feel are the right reasons. They are racing purely because it is a race and a challenge. No fuss, no search of glory just doing the race. It has become an expensive excercise with insurance premiums going through the roof. Because of this boats become sponsored and the sponsors name is then somehow entangled in the name of the boat. A well named yacht then becomes some thing ridiulous like
Other skippers just throw millions of dollars at the event in the hope of getting all the pre race glory and the cup all in one go. Nothing wrong with that either but just because someone is chucking shitloads of their own or their sponsors money around it is not news!
When covering the event from start to finish the sports announcers again concentrate on the biggest and most glamorous yachts. A small mention maybe of a competitor that they know well but apart from that it is up to each person who wants news of the boats they are personaly interested in to go on the CYCA web and checkout progress. This is a fairly new and most welcome part of the race. Imagine though calling the Melbourne Cup. knowing that everyone in Australia has a horse of some sort they are interested in and the whole race goes by without that horse even being mentioned. Now the horse race callers can do it in a two minute race I can't see why the newspaper, radio and televison reporters can't do it over an event that lasts over four days.
To me the Sydney Hobart, same old, same old.
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Comment by katyzzz
Photography Tips
MS Paint Art
Interesting post, escept for the use of one expletive, not necessary, consult a dictionary for a better alternative word, or phrse, it will improve your writing.
Yes, you've got it I'm an old wowser, but there's plenty around like me.
You made a good case for your point of view and you are so right. We live in a world of simpletons, unfortunately, all pretty much overpaid and unmotivated, in their comfort zone of doing little for their overpayment other than 'being there'.
It's agreat race, in which even I have taken an interest over the years, thank heaven for TV.
katyzzz.
Comment by TomN
Boat Heaven
you wouldn't be a Methodist wowser would you? Just joking and I take your point. I had to re read to find what you were talking about and I confess it is just the way I talk and write. will try awfully to be good.
Comment by katyzzz
Photography Tips
MS Paint Art
No, I'm not a methodist wowser, just a mini wowser, well... midi...perhaps, but I believe in enjoying life, although sometimes you wouldn't think so.
I'm sure you have a great life out on the ocean waves.
See you in the crowds on Boxing Day, what a mess that makes on the Harbour, all the watching craft that is, the skippers must really curse, but as long as it's out of my earshot.
katyzzz