http://www.18footerstv.com/

[Torchy]

Excellent coverage of the Australian 18 Championships

Races on Sundays appear on Monday

Extra race for Australia Day this Thursday

[Neil C.]

Day 3 of the JJ Giltinan currently being shown on www.18footerstv.com  - a big, big day on the harbour with 25-30kts. I needed bicycle clips just watching the first reach, never mind anybody sailing it.

[Torchy]

It was a blast!

Looks like 7 has it in the bag overall

The TV presenters manage such a lot with minimal resources - a camera on a boat. They have a high quality camera and have sorted out the sound for the commentary compared to their earlier coverage.

The format goes like this (they just switch off the camera between interesting bits):
Intro - analysis of main contenders
Start
Half way up 1st beat
Windward mark with leaders
Watch the chaos at windward mark then high tail it after the leaders
Leeward mark +/- chaos
Windward mark etc
Finish
Post race interview with winning boat (usually but not for Giltinan)

They don't miss much of the crunch tactical choices.

[Neil C.]

I liked commentator Bob Killoh's line while driving the camera boat down the reach in pursuit of Rag and Famish: "we're squeezing the life out of this thing, twin 90hp outboards flat out and they're still pulling away!"

[Eggbert]

have now watched the invitational day 1 day 3 & 4 just day 2 to go lovin every minute of it

[john_hamilton]

have been watching every race for two years! tom bruton is in pnasonic this year with nicks crew!

[Eggbert]

Anyone know when day six will be up

[Torchy]

Sunday morning and final race by Monday AM

[phil_kirk]

Been following it too.  Excellent coverage.  i hope that they book these guys to cover the olympics too!

It's also great to see and hear the names of all the places in Sydney Harbour. It's beeen 8 years since I was last there.

[john_hamilton]

race 6 had an interesting hole in the wind at the first wingmark, one of the weirdest things ive seen for a while

[stom]

For anyone thats interested here's the post race interviews;

http://www.youtube.com/user/18footersTV?feature=watch

The new rotating wing mast on Panasonic seems pretty interesting!

[phil_kirk]

But interestingly and according to Betwaite the wing mast only makes a difference no a reach when your trying to get more power from the main.  Upwind and down it makes little difference. 

Looks good though.  I'm not so sure about the end plate wing on the top of the jib.  It looks like someone has chopped the top off the sail.  It may need more tweaking to get the best out of it. At present the favorites don't include Panasonic Lumix with her wing mast.