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Orbital Retains the iShares Cup
Orbital Sound has announced that it has been retained to provide a full communications and multimedia infrastructure for OC Events' 2009 iShares Cup Extreme 40 Sailing Series, working an enlarged European circuit of venues that will carry through the summer season.
Confirming the appointment, OC Events' event manager, Louise Close said: "Orbital Sound was excellent throughout the 2008 series and we look forward to working with them again this year."
iShares Cup Extreme 40 Sailing Series attracts some of the world's best Olympic, round the world, America's Cup and solo sailors, who go head-to-head on open sea, picturesque lakes and restricted canals. As the action takes place close to shore, the high-octane competition provides a visual spectacle for thousands of spectators.
To match the visual excitement, OC Events realised last year that they needed to improve their audio network by providing unimpeded ship-to-shore communication, UHF radio commentary and video feeds to the VIP suite. They tasked Orbital Sound with this challenge after meeting them at The Event Show in London, and director Tim Sherratt set out to create a sound relay infrastructure at each location on the five-event circuit.
In addition to the commentary to shore and crew inter-comms, Orbital Sound's project engineer Marek Tkacik also fitted out the VIP tent, and provided additional sound reinforcement for the Saturday night DJ and the prize giving on the Sunday.
"By holding the event close to shore, the spectators can watch, hear and interact with the crews," said Sherratt. "At each location last year we put up FM antennae so that the commentary could be broadcast over FM from the commentator's boat - as far offshore as 2km - via special high power radio mics, and a portable mobile mast." As a result, OC Events' comms team was able to speak both to the boats and to the hospitality area.
The work also involved siting RF aerials, up to 30 pole-mounted weatherproof EV S200's along the shore and Bose Panarays in the VIP tent.
Tim Sherratt predicted that the technology infrastructure would grow still further as the event expands in 2009. "Last year we were able to give OC Events the reassurance that we could take all the continuity off their shoulders, and whatever the weather conditions, the comms equipment was equal to the task."
This year, more than 20 professional teams have registered strong interest including returning teams from the previous iShares Cup seasons as well as new teams, skippers and nationalities, who will be racing on Extreme 40 multihulls.
As a result, as many as six events could be staged throughout Europe between May and October, with millions again expected to watch the racing on TV.
"The enthusiasm for the iShares Cup is just growing and growing across Europe and around the world," said Gilles Chiorri, OC Events Director. "The sailors love it because the racing is high-level and intense, the public love it because they can get really close to the action and for sponsors it offers a sensible value-for-money budget."
Venues so far confirmed for 2009 are UK, Germany, France, Italy and The Netherlands. "We've had excellent interest from many new cities and regions, and after an intensive bidding process all but one of the venues have now been decided," concluded Chiorri.
In picture: Flashback to the 2008 event, Marek Tkacik in the comms room.
3rd February 2009
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