THE QUALITY OF FOOTAGE WE’RE GETTING BACK HAS IMPROVED MASSIVELY SINCETHELASTEDITIONOFTHERACE
EVERYONE ONBOARD Another new feature of this edition’s coverage is a multimedia server, giving broadcasters and press access to a full range of content. Previous Vendée Globes provided broadcasters content through separate interfaces. The new server, built entirely in- house, offers full access to all video, still images, graphics, documents and audio, with direct links to content and downloadability in multiple resolutions and formats. “Our new video server has completely changed the way people are covering the Vendée Globe,” says Borde. “And the quality of footage we’re getting has improved massively since the last edition of the race.” When skippers transmit video or stills from the boat – everything from
updates on repairs, to fan greetings to selfies and pics of their dinner – they are uploaded directly to the server. The race organisation runs a quality control check of the content and each skipper ’s onshore media manager has a 30-minute buffer to cancel the upload before it is made public. The same system can send footage back to the onshore crew privately, whether for technical use or other content that the team may be producing separately. When new public material appears on the server, fans can receive SMS or email notifications. The Vendée Globe team adds branding to the videos and also produces content from the material, including 30-second daily clips from the skippers, two-minute daily highlight clips in English and French and 15-second clips for social media. Data diving It appears that the Vendée Globe is well-suited to a world in lockdown.
First, the participants are all completely isolated from human contact – and each had to do eight days of quarantine before start day. They also carry their own TV studio with them – not necessarily the most sophisticated set-ups, but they are able to broadcast what is happening at any time, in any location. No many sports permit so much continual personal access to the competitor. For fans, the Vendée Globe offers a full spectrum of ways to get involved. And the length of the race itself is as long as some sports seasons – it’s like an epic novel of sport. Stats are a key element in the Vendée Globe fan experience. Meteorology is an essential component in every aspect of the race. Wind speed and direction, currents, temperature, humidity, barometric pressure and precipitation all have a profound effect on the RECORD TO BEAT: ARMEL LE CLÉAC’H 74 DAYS 3HRS 35MINS 46 S IN 2017 SIXWOMEN: ALEXIA BARRIER, SAMDAVIES, CLARISSE CREMER, ISABELLE JOSCHKE, MIRANDA MERRON AND PIP HARE
RISK & RESCUE Kevin Escoffier’s boat, PRB, sank off the coast of South Africa. After 12 hours in a life raft, he was finally rescued by Vendée Globe veteran Jean Le Cam
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