24 hour information for worldwide race coverage

• NEWS
• 27 Nov, 2003 05:39:00 PM

24 hour information for worldwide race coverage

The Cruising Yacht Club of Australia and Rolex will provide 24 hour updated information about the fleet during the Rolex Sydney Hobart Yacht Race, through the official website and the media.

The Cruising Yacht Club of Australia and Rolex will provide Australian and International media with the best possible information about the 59th Rolex Sydney Hobart Yacht Race leading up to, during and following the ocean classic.

The Rolex Media Information Centre will open at the CYCA in Sydney on Friday, 5 December, providing world-class working and information facilities for media covering the Race and its lead-up regatta, the Rolex Trophy Series to be conducted on 13, 14 and 15 December.
 
Once the Rolex Sydney Hobart Yacht Race gets under way, the media working facilities will undergo a seamless transition to the Waterside Pavilion, alongside Hobart’s historic Constitution Dock where the fleet docks after the 627 nautical mile race.  Operations there will continue until all yachts finish, 2 January.

The facilities are being modelled on media centre operations provided by Rolex at each of the major Northern Hemisphere events they sponsor, including the Rolex Fastnet Race, Rolex Giraglia Cup and Rolex Middle Sea Race. As with last year, the media will have the bonus of real-time reports on the progress of the fleet.

Journalists, photographers, radio reporters and television crews will be able to access 24 hours a day real-time race information from the award-winning official website – www.rolexsydneyhobart.com - compiled by the Yacht Tracker satellite system. 

Media can print progressive line honours positions and current handicap results at any time from the web site.  For those who don’t have internet or printer access,  they can advise Rolex Media Information Centre staff the times they would like the current race information to be faxed or emailed to them. If so requested, that information could be provided following each of the twice-daily radio position reports (‘skeds’). It is expected, however, that accredited media will request the most recent information at the times of the day that fit in with their own deadlines.

Computer generated information available for accredited media will include each yacht’s latitude and longitude, the yacht’s line honours position in the fleet, proximity to significant geographical points on the course south, distance to sail to sail to the finish, current heading and speed, overall handicap (IMS, IRC and PHS) positions and in divisional positions.

As yachts cross the finish line in Hobart,  their elapsed time and handicap position overall and in each division will be automatically updated.

As always, accredited media will be provided with  fast press boats on Boxing Day on Sydney Harbour and also in Hobart,  to follow the arrival of the leading yachts and potential handicap winners.

The dockside media interviews with the Line Honours winning owner/skipper and the crew is always one of the highlights of the finish of the Rolex Sydney Hobart Yacht Race, and is always a major public event as the yacht berths near Constitution Dock.  Here the Line Honours winner will be presented with the historic Captain John Illingworth perpetual trophy, with each crew member also receiving a striking Rolex medallion.

Rolex Media Information Centre operations:

CYCA, Sydney:
4 December -  27 December 2003 hours :  0900-1800 (later on race days)
26 December – Hours: 0600-2200
27 December – Hours: 0400-1200. (Operations then transferred to Hobart)

Our contacts: 
Phone: +61 2 9327 5867
Fax: +61 2 9327 5167
Email:   rshyrmedia@bigpond.com
 
Waterside Pavilion, Hobart:
27 December – Hours: 0700-2200
28-31 December – Hours:  0400-2200
1-2 January – Hours: according to status of fleet, but closing 1000 hours, 2 January 2004.

Our contacts:
Phone: TBA
Fax: TBA
Email:  rshyrmedia@bigpond.com

Information for Media now available:
Press kits that include major news releases, race statistics and history, entry lists and ‘boat notes’ that profile each boat and its crew.  A media accreditation form is also included.

Information on the Official web site includes:
Media accreditation form
Complete media kit
All news releases regarding the Race
Notice of Race for Rolex Sydney Hobart Yacht Race 2003
Brief race history
Brief history of the CYCA
List of nominated boats
Profiles of boats and sailors
Complete results of 58 previous Sydney Hobart Yacht Races

Media Accreditation:
Please print out the media accreditation form on the web site, fill out your requirements and fax to the Rolex Media Information Centre, Sydney:  +61 2 9327 5167 or email a pdf version

Media Director:
Peter Campbell – Ph: + 61 2 9327 5867
        Email – rshyrmedia@bigpond.com

DIRECT URL FOR MEDIA INFORMATION ON THE WEB SITE:

http://rolexsydneyhobart.com/media