SailMedia Livestream - Taking Sydney Harbour 18ft skiff racing to the world

by Frank Quealey 9 Oct 07:55 BST

The Australian 18 Footers League's 2025-26 season gets under way next Sunday (12 October) when the League will conduct Race 1 of the 2025 SIXT Spring Championship, for the Major Arthur Frizelle Trophy, on Sydney Harbour.

The League's usual spectator ferry will follow the race, leaving Double Bay Public Wharf alongside the clubhouse, and the professional SailMedia Livestream team, headed by CEO and founder Jimmy Bury, will be on the course, as usual, to capture all the action.

SailMedia's coverage provides viewers with all the close up racing action, along with the beauty of the harbour and the city, all backed up by expert commentary from former competitors who not only 'talk the talk' but have already 'walked the walk'.

Coverage producer/director Michael Chittenden details the SailMedia operation. "We have three cameras feeding into our livestream production. There is a drone, a main camera mounted on the roof of the cameracat, and a commentary team POV camera."

"The drone is operated from the back of the cameracat by two people, a pilot and drone spotter and catcher. It's a requirement that drones in general, operating as we do, have spotters watching out for other aircraft, obstacles and mast heights, etc."

Capturing every moment in every condition - photo © Frank Quealey

"The roof mounted camera is stabilised, weather proofed and has 360 degree vision."

"The main feature, and the thing that sets our stream apart from most other streams, is how we use the onboard commentary team. They are not in a studio, far from the actual race, they are right in the thick of all the action."

"There is also a great relationship between shippers and Andrew 'Dolly' Divola (commentator) that filters through the livestream; both are incredibly knowledgeable about sailing and the 18s and, from the feedback we get, this is one of things that viewers love."

"We are always trying to include the viewers into the coverage, and as part of the stream we are using the YouTube 'live chat' feature, which is monitored throughout the racing to allow viewers the opportunity to ask questions and have the commentary team reply - LIVE."

"We now have a very solid 18footers livestream fan base. Generally we get 15k YouTube viewers per race plus another 2k viewers on Facebook."

"We try to get a mix of views during the stream with the drone generally showing 'the fleet' and the harbour - the big picture. The spectacular sight of sponsors logos, etc. screaming down a busy Sydney Harbour is hard to beat. Our onboard camera mainly showing closer action, mark roundings, crosses, racing incidents, etc."

"We are extremely proud that everything is done live from the boat. Cameras, drones, production graphics and switching of commentary."

Total concentration by the team in 2013 - photo © Frank Quealey

SailMedia also takes photographs/still images during the race for use with various race reports and articles produced for local Australian and international media outlets, as well as club promotional material.

It's a very professional coverage by a very experienced team. They always manage to capture the spectacular scenery of the harbour and the city skyline as well as the awesome action associated with the flying 18s.

The 18 footers action deserves the best coverage and, as a viewer, I can guarantee that SailMedia gives it!

Kerrie and John 'Woody' Winning must be proud of what they see each weekend.

It was around twenty years ago when Kerrie Winning, the wife of Australian 18 Footers League Club President and Giltinan World champion John 'Woody' Winning, suggested that the League should introduce video coverage as a means to further promote the League's 18 footer racing.

Kerrie and her daughter Jamie were both involved with Equestrian and noticed that their sport was filming its own events and uploading them onto You Tube to increase media exposure, and soon realised the advantage it would be to 18ft skiff racing on beautiful Sydney Harbour.

At the time, the 18s already had a good media profile with coverage in daily and local newspapers, radio, sailing magazines and TV stations, but Kerrie pointed out the opportunity that independence gave the club and the class a far better means to promote its product.

'Woody' and family friend, the late Bob 'Killo' Killick agreed, and set out to put a plan into action.

The Winning family financially supported the venture through its whitegoods business and 'Killo', who was a former leading 18 footer skipper and a very good promoter, became the hands-on front man to the coverage.

They were ready for the first step of the 20-year journey which has become the worldwide SailMedia coverage.

In time, the production was ready for the next stage of its development.

Michael Chittenden, who has been with the 18 footers production team for a number of seasons, recalls, "When Kerrie and Woody we're looking to make the livestream a little more professional, they asked Jono Whitty (AeroMedia) for his help and expertise to put together a multi camera professional production."

"Jono's AeroMedia, with the support of Kerrie and Woody, created the basis of what has become one of the best sailing livestream production teams."

The Australian 18 Footers League fleet for the 2025-26 season: