Bring back the Biff

Originally posted by Sprint Bob Looks like the Oz press (and folk) have a fair bit of sympathy for Ben. Read the end of this report.   http://www.watoday.com.au:80/wa-news/reprimand-an-overreaction-british-sailor-20111211-1opgx.html

I think this quote from the article just about sums he whole affair up -

British team manager Stephen Park was also critical of the camera boat's role. "At the moment the sport seems to be fumbling its way into trying to make the sport more appealing for television," said Park.

The sport is trying to grow through press and tv coverage, but perhaps not considering controls and management to ensure the coverage is maximised without impacting the game.

Lenses and cameras today can pick out half a boob on some Z-list celeb on the beach from half a mile away. Why can't the camera boats record from defined exclusion zones?!?

Originally posted by rodney Originally posted by I luv Wight I noticed in the downwind part of the video, that in ( almost? ) any other class, it would be cheating to rock and roll like that. Not quite as silly as the air-rowing windsurfers, but this is what you just can't do in normal sailing. Is this the kind of behaviour that young people should aspire to? i.e. this is banned from all dinghy sailing - until you get to sail the Finn in the Olympics! ( above force 3 or whatever) Whoops!  The Finn class allows free pumping, downwind, in over 10 Knots.  I hope that answers the question?  If the 'young people' aspire to sail a Finn then the answer is YES!!!!! Please check class rules before such an irresponsible posting!!!!! If you were in a Press Boat I would.................

Originally posted by I luv Wight I noticed in the downwind part of the video, that in ( almost? ) any other class, it would be cheating to rock and roll like that. Not quite as silly as the air-rowing windsurfers, but this is what you just can't do in normal sailing. Is this the kind of behaviour that young people should aspire to? i.e. this is banned from all dinghy sailing - until you get to sail the Finn in the Olympics! ( above force 3 or whatever)

Whoops!  The Finn class allows free pumping, downwind, in over 10 Knots.  I hope that answers the question?  If the 'young people' aspire to sail a Finn then the answer is YES!!!!!

Please check class rules before such an irresponsible posting!!!!! If you were in a Press Boat I would.................

Apology accepted!

Ben Ainslie has been a professional sailor for years. As have most of the competitors at the ISAF Worlds. The sailors receive money for sailing principally because sponsors can use the image that succesful sailors create to sell their products. To finance the sailors, and the organisation of high level regattas the organisers have sold the media rights.

Elite sailing would not exist in it's present form, and would not offer the opportunity to somany sailors to live their dream if there were not media boats on the course. The Race Committee set the courses as required by the SIs, which were written by ISAF.

Contrary to popular belief race officials are not on a gravy train. Flights are paid (usually low cost), accomodation provided (often a hotel will sponsor an event by providing accomdation, but is also common to stay with local club members), food on the water, and an evening meal. At the very highest level a  small per diem payment is made. This is to ensure that the top level race officials can give the considerable amount of time needed to run big events.  These conditions are usually satisfactory, but hardly luxurious.

As for the competence of race officials... they can make mistakes, and sailing is unique amongst the Olympic sports in allowing for redress when a mistake is made. In this case the media boat driver did make a mistake and some actionshould be taken. However that action should take in to account that the ISAF Worlds would probably not exist if there was no media boats.

Gordon

I don't think you can really describe Ben Ainslie as an amateur sailor. Grants or whatever he gets a reasonable income from sailing, way above what Olympic sailors might earn even a few years ago.

The whole business about some form of censure on the media boat is a valid one, but of course there's a whole enquiry going on right now which seems to demonstrate quite handily that a section of the press tend to consider themselves completely above the law, above morality and above sanction...