BT Openworld makes waves online for Cowes Week radio

As official sponsor of Cowes Week Radio, BT Openworld is streaming the station's coverage of Cowes Week live, via its web site at www.btopenworld.com/sport/sailing

Sailing fans from as far afield as Ottawa, Wellington and Tokyo will be able to follow competitors' progress throughout the six-day event. Listeners will also have the opportunity to email questions and requests via the site direct to the station's studio in Cowes, on the Isle of Wight.

BT Openworld is providing Cowes Week Radio with all of the IT infrastructure and telecommunications equipment it needs to make this broadcast possible. ISDN lines from BT Openworld will provide a link from the station's two race commentators, via its studio to the open-air transmitter.

Dick Johnson, live commentator at Cowes Week Radio, said: "It's my job to provide running commentary from a boat in the Solent. As you can imagine, it takes a complex web of telecoms and internet gadgetry to keep myself in touch with the rest of the broadcast team. BT Openworld's help in this area is essential. Without it, live Cowes Week Radio would cease to happen."

Duncan Ingram, senior vice-president consumer internet services at BT Openworld said: "As a sponsor, we're proud to be able to bring one of the biggest events in the sailing calendar to enthusiasts all over the globe for the third year running. This further underlines our long term commitment to developing the internet into a high quality and reliable entertainment source."

Cowes Week Radio has been providing the only live coverage of Cowes Week for the last 17 years. Up to 80 per cent of competitors tune in for the latest news, weather and tide information, as well as 30,000 local listeners and many more worldwide. The 2002 broadcast will begin at 7.00am on Saturday, August 3 and will be streamed online throughout the day until the following Saturday.

More Information:

• YachtsandYachting.com Cowes Week Page
• Cowes Week Website