It’s a new feeling for sailing fans get used to being able to watch Olympic racing live or nearly live. As such, we’re able to see the moments that make a difference. For years regattas have been won and lost for reasons only known to the sailors themselves. The 49er class hopes the world of reporting racing can change from discussing race outcomes to discussing racing.
As such, we’ve assembled the best theatre style races captured to date! While it’s certainly a modest goal to be able to witness the critical moments of a regatta, it is a fun first step!
8) 2010 test – Harvey trash talks the sailors
Team GBR coach Harvey Hillary talks us through the racing in one of the early test of Theatre Style racing. There is great wind and Harvey does a great job of picking apart the sailors through the race.
7) 2012 49er Jr. Worlds – Deciding race
This is one of the best ever races covered, but lacks the impact of a true finals to rate higher in the rankings. On the line is a trip to the 2012 European Championships final and also, as it turned out, the Junior World Championship. James Peters goes head to head with Jan Ericsson in this deciding race.
6) 2013 MOCR – Pass Pass Pass Win
2013 saw all of sailing looking at formats to try and make sailing more exciting. The 2013 Miami World Cup used a format called Big Sixy, where the top 6 teams raced to be the first to win 2 races and take the title. In this race we see 2 American teams go back and forth with the regatta on the line. You know all those evenings in the bar with sailors having the karate hands out explaining what went on… this video is like that but filmed. We see the angle change, the passes made, and the regatta won, first hand!
5) 2013 49erFX Palma – Race 3
The 49erFX are out in great breeze for their theatre racing, with thrills and spills all around. Palma 2013 was really the first proper event for the 49erFX sailors. The week delivered challenging conditons, and none more so than windy and wavy final theatre style day.
4) 2012 49er Euros – Upsetting Carlos
Carlos and Anton were dearly unlucky in this race. They are in a position to get into the grand final and claim their first championship title, until the Irish swoop in the knock Carlos off the back of his boat. Irish, good guys that they are, do their spins, but the regatta us ruined for our Spanish friends. Do you how they responded, like champs! “It was great, like formula 1 out there! Sometime you don’t get the breaks but that’s racing,” said Anton once back on shore.
3) 2013 49erFX Euros – Final race, best home town victory
The darlings of Denmark, Ida and Marie dominated the first half of 2013 and when the pressure was on they delivered in front of thousands of their home town fans!
2) 2014 MOCR – 5 teams can win entering final
5 teams battled through a very trying week as light conditions plagued the 2014 ISAF World Cup of Sailing – Miami. By the time the final race came, there were still 5 teams with a shot to take the title! Hometown hero -Brad Funk, comeback Kid – Stevie Morrison, Medal Haulers – Warrer/Lang, D’Ortoli, and Pinky – it’s anyone’s game!
1) 2013 Euros – First Race
Burling falls off trapeze and capsizes. The spectacular coverage at SAP 2013 Euros culminates as Peter Burling capsizes while leading the regatta and it’s all captured from the on board cameras. The whole days coverage is spectacular, so keep watching to see the title decided in the final race.
