Able to watch the online feed today, I say props to the coverage team and OCEAN PADDLER TV. The progress made by OCTV has been tremendous! I know they get buckets of feedback during and after the race, and I trust they'll do what paddlers do all the time, and that's try to improve. Guy Hagi and Lauren were entertaining, but only lacked consistent, reliable, accurate information to convey a running narrative of the race. Fortunately, they successfully carried the broadcast along.
So now what?
If you take a look America's Cup coverage (Google "Liveline America's Cup"), you see what you can do with a gajillion dollar budget. [Forgive me if this is repeated information on this forum.] I hope we move toward embedded tracking devices (GPS Transmitters) in at least the leading canoes. Frankly, I watched Shell Va'a for 2 hours worth of footage (at least), and relied entirely on speculation as to where the rest of the field was. Would have worked well in 2001 (race at the very front)...
I never watched the coverage before today----but I think this is where OHCRA needs to invest efforts, a multi-year plan to move incrementally toward true "race coverage". This race and NWOKK, being tracked with live graphics on who is where, no kidding distances to the leader, race pace, etc. etc. etc.---THAT would make these events, on the whole, live up to the mountainous training volume put forth by its participants.
Congratulations to all of today's racers. Slugfest.
Submitted by secret weapon on Sun, 10/07/2012 - 9:05pm
i'm sure everyone would agree the OCTV is doing a great job with live coverage vs not having it at all. It's also safe to say that this coverage is still in it's infant stages, and still needs to be refined. This is good for the sport, and shows how OC paddling can actually become a spectator sport this way, and ONLY this way. *Wifi gopro3's hint hint, real time gps tracking are some great tools that could be used in future events.... all of this takes money.
I especially like the fact that OCTV is actually covering events outside of paddling, including surf events! WTG
#1 Sun, 11/04/2012 - 7:25am
Well now that GoPro has wireless capabilities, I imagine that within a couple of years, we'll be able to actually get onboard with different teams at different points during the race. Add that to the capabilities of a Kattack system (gps based tracking) that we used in SoCal this year, coverage is only bound to improve.
#2 Sun, 11/04/2012 - 1:47pm
Right on the head Kileki;
That means all canoe should have KATTACK GPS BASE TRACKING SYSTEM downloaded in their phone and have to carry it with them in their Canoe (with assigned # in their boat so we would know who they are) in an waterproof bag or Zipplock bag and strap in the papi'ao. So Guy Hagi and Lauren or whoever broadcasting it and the rest can monitor it in their computer via satellite feed on what's going on on the rest of the field not just the top crew. It will be very cool. Even In the Molokai solo, Manny should require everybody to have one downloaded and carry it with them in a waterproof bag strap or around their neck. With their assigned boat number. I think it can be done.
#3 Mon, 11/05/2012 - 6:14am