This Sunday yachting enthusiasts and casual sailing fans around the United States will have a chance to experience from the comfort of their living room the excitement, drama and pageantry of the 2015 Rolex New York Yacht Club Invitational Cup. An hour-long program, produced by producer Gary Jobson, will air on Sunday, October 11, at 5 p.m. (EDT), on ESPN2.
An edited version of the program will air on Eurosport on Wednesday, October 14, starting at approximately 11:20 p.m.
The fourth edition of this preeminent international Corinthian competition was the most exciting yet. After 11 of 12 races, every spot on the podium was still up for grabs and the final positions weren’t secure in any way until the finish of the final race.
“The biggest challenge in producing this TV program was deciding what to leave out,” says Jobson of the hour-long program. “It was a tremendous regatta with numerous story lines. Every team had their struggles, every team found themselves in last place, or close to it, at some point. The ebb and flow of the competition was remarkable. The key attribute that distinguished the top teams was resilience.”
Jobson’s use of aerial and on-the-water videography provides multiple perspectives of the racing action while on-board cameras allow the viewer to feel the intensity of the competition and appreciate the complex choreography of the crew manoeuvres.
The Royal Thames Yacht Club, from London, England, was the first club from outside North America to win the Rolex NYYC Invitational Cup trophy. The host New York Yacht Club team finished second, with Eastern Yacht Club’s squad in third. The event’s only first-time competitor, Middle Harbour Yacht Club from Australia, was fourth. Four-time competitor Japan Sailing Federation rounded out the top five. The RTYC, which didn’t win an individual race in the regatta, averaged nearly a sixth place finish during the regatta—in a 17-boat fleet—and just five points separated second from fifth.