My overall impression:
Great season, with lots of interesting stuff happening anmd coverage, I liked the following media:
- @oskar_foil 's vlogs were very entertaining.
- Foil Project race debriefs, were very good addition, a bit slow to release due to the tight schedule, but good value. He should just stream them live.
- Zeke Lau’s vlogs were fun and cool to see the struggle.
I think an opportunity is for the larger teams to get some behind the scenes going, eg with Mountain Biking, and turn that into something that gives audiences something to latch onto.
The live stream was great, nice mix of front and back, I didn’t realise Edo and Kane were close together, seems like the stream was not picking up how close they were (I watched replay not live fwiw, maybe live it was clearer). I think there is room to improve, but honestly I was very impressed and surprised! Is this validation for sponsors?
Boats seemed to be an issue, but not disaster? Felt for the front guys struggling to cross the boat wake. Great way to ruin your day. Feels like the camera boats should get an explanation on not ruining it, but for the most part seemed fine. (nice quote “ego+1 wing size strategy worked wonders”)
Pacing of the events seems quite quick, like it’s over just as it starts. I guess not much to do here except keep adding new warmup races.
Drone footage was excellent, you could easily see difference in technique across all the riders, and how the top guys are super high and stacked stance with very precise attacking pumps, and how messy the bumps were.
My overriding impression is that as a competitive sport, it definitely lacks something to make it compelling rather than just interesting (other than exotic gear which obviously has self-defeating long term appeal as a draw card). There is not much to create intrigue and draw viewers in. The only possible drama is from a fall, and the boats are the likely cause, or the backwash towards the end. This is the top race, and an ocean crossing, so I don’t expect it to change at all, nor should it necessarily change, but it does not make for sudden tactical changes or anything to build suspense (Edo pumping to the line after a duel through the waves with Kane was pretty amazing, but that was about it in terms of drama)
Watching Tour de France alongside, I can’t help but wonder if a team dynamic would help, see what emerges in terms of dynamics
Teams were formally introduced to the Tour de France in 1930, transitioning from a system where cyclists competed primarily as individuals with some team support to a structure where teams represented countries. Before this, while some riders had sponsors, they were not allowed to work together as a team, and the race focused on individual performance.
Funny to see someone way out in front false starting. Foil races seem incapable of coordinating a start line