London Olympics: Lasers and 49ers

Some photos from yesterday's racing off the Nothe Forte in Weymouth.

London Olympics: Taiwanese Elvis

In response to Tillerman's spotting of Elvis

London Olympics: Seb and Hannah

Another great day of sun, sea and sailing at the Nothe down in Weymouth.

Big result for Big Ben of course, in striking distance of the Great Dane, and also for the UK in the Star, men's 470 and women's 470 fleets. Middling for Alison Young in the Laser Radials and bit of a washout for the 49ers.

A high spot was arrival of London Olympics head Lord Seb Coe, here with Hannah White who as well as being a great offshore racer has been entertaining us with her sailing commentary.

London Olympics: Ian Walker and the sailing family

When down at the Nothe on Monday I found myself sitting in rather a hot spot.

It was during the Elliot match racing, in the last set of races of the day, in which Team GB was up against the Australians.

To my left was relatives of the home team, namely the Macgregor family, while to my right was an enthusiastic group from down under, namely the Price family.

But always the atmosphere on the grassy knoll has had the feel of a family friendly fiesta.

There are representatives from all sailing countries and they've brought with them their supporters, friends and family from all over the world.

You can guess who these support:

Of course there is a huge home crowd, flags at the ready for any opportunity, such as this interview with the Macgregor family, surrounded by friendly group of beaming children:

Towards the end of the day Olympic, America's Cup and Volvo sailor Ian Walker came over to the Macgregor family to wish them luck (top): it was a nice touch.

But there are plenty of nice touches here. Though of course I support Team GB you have to admire the likes of Denmark's Jonas Hogh-Christensen and Ireland's Annalise Murphy, and I'm not alone.

There's a great Olympic spirit here; it really is possible to just enjoy the sight of the world's best sailors showing us how it should be done, beautifully.

London Olympics: Buff's Love Boat

G'day all! Buff Staysail here! Buff by name and Buff by nature!

I'm telling you that`s not what I said!

It all started when I discovered I didn't have a press pass. Jeez, how can a top sailing journo such as yours truly, with his own America's Cup TV show, not have a press pass?

Ok, as JP pointed out, I was in good company, what with that Elaine Bunting being in a similar position (must look her up while I'm in Weymouth) but must admit ol' Buff was getting restless in front of that giant screen, even though there was some good stuff about how Alison Young is very fit.

So I did what Buff does best, heading out into Weymouth to sniff out a story. First of course was to discover which pub was best (so I could let Ben know) and what brew could I recommend, and let me tell you that Doom Bar beer is a taste that Buff is warming to!

It was after a pint or two in, well might have been the fifth pub or something, when I had the sort of brainwave that Buff is well known for. Why wait for a press pass? Why not just head out to the sailing and do the interviews on the water?

And there was a vessel to hand, as on the shore front there were pedalos for rent. So sizing the hour I was out there in a flash, full of enthusiasm!

On the way out I did have the odd moment of doubt.

It was a long way to the race course and Buff's a sailor not a sitting down type like the poms. The weather wasn't great, wind, current and waves against me, but I kept my head down and pedalled away.

What kept me warm despite the chilly air was the thought of my pedalo as my studio / interview room. The 2nd seat would soon be filled by a whole range of sailing greats: Alison Young, the Macgregor sisters, Annie Lush, Hannah Mills... and not just Brits, Olivia Price from the lucky country, Anna Tunnicliffe from America...

All of sudden there was this shouting and in front of me there was an entire fleet racing away! I'd made it!

Unfortunately at that point I was intercepted by two police jet skis who asked me what I was up to.

I explained I was a journalist out to interview the athletes to ask them about their fitness campaigns - or at least that's what I would have said.

Alas due to the struggle out there and the chill (and nothing to do with Doom Bar) it might not have come out that clearly, though any suggestions that I said that this was my love boat for the fit sailing girls is clearly nonsense.

Back on land good ol' Sassi confirmed I was on JP's Olympic Coverage Team (Ed: you said what?????) and after signing a declaration not to go on the water during the Olympics was free to go.

It was all a stupid mistake, but makes me sad as the idea of a pedalo as a mobile interview platform still sounds like gold.

Ah well, this is Buff Staysail, over and out!

London Olympics: Lovely Weymouth

Weymouth is one of those hidden gems, locked in a past of old fashioned seaside holidays involving sandcastles on the beach followed by fish and chips.

It has a promenade where there are fortune tellers plus Punch and Judy puppet shows:

Behind the beach are some unspoilt old streets, naturally currently completely covered with Olympic / Team GB bunting:

Pretty much every other shop will sell you clotted cream fudge or bucket and spades, just right for the family holiday.

I remember sailing here some years ago and we'd had a bad night and longed for a real coffee and hunted and hunted and hunted for something that didn't come out of a jar without success. However I'd have thought by now that lapse has been rectified but will check out next time I'm down.

At the heart is the harbour where you'll see the yachts moored up, usually in summer rafted out three or four deep:

I remember we sat on the boat debating which of these pretty houses we liked the best: it was one of those discussions where the answer doesn't matter but the conversation does.

Well worth spending some time exploring this lovely and historic West Country town.

London Olympics: Sassi's spooky tips for Ben

Hi Guys!

Hello from Weymouth! Sassi's been watching the sailing and doesn't it go on and on and on! And our man Ben Ainslie isn't, like, scoring or anything - what's up there?

As today the Finn class is "on a break" (as Ross would put it) so there was time to get some expert advice and who better than fortune teller Zara (above) on the Weymouth sea front.

Having crossed her palm with silver I asked her the key question: how can I help Ben perform (if you know what I mean)?

Zara went into a mystical trance, swaying from side to side (a bit like techno night at Fabric) then she spoke in this weird voice.

"Beware a moon that is full!"

I defo got a chill at that.

"The man that sails must remember that time and tide wait for no one. Offshore with the tide, inshore against, search ever for back eddies!"

Didn't really get that, so I asked "you what?"

Then her eyes rolled back to normal and she said that'd be extra. As if!

So I left with those pearls of wisdom, whatever they mean.

Oops, gotta go, text from Buff saying he's been arrested - doh!

Luv ya

Sassi xxx

London Olympics: Visiting Weymouth

So if you have a ticket for the sailing at Weymouth, what do need to know?

Getting to Weymouth

I took the train and that's probably the best idea if you're coming from London. There was all sort of talk of crowding but in fact the train wasn't too busy so no need to drive unless you really want to.

You could bike to the site as there are racks just outside.

Organisation at Weymouth

Really, really good. There were meet and greeters handing out maps to get from the station to the viewing area (free) and also programs (£5 for sailing only). The route to the Nothe is well sign-posted and pedestrianised so an easy walk:

There's also an area for those without tickets set up with big screens etc.

Getting in to the site

There is bag security and ticket checks on the way but they went pretty smoothly and then the site is quite small so easy to find your way around.

Food and drink

There's a good choice for lunch, from the normal burgers, bbq sausages, hog roast, lamb wraps, chicken and chorizo, pizza, fish and chips etc etc all looking rather tempting.

Of course there was a good sized bar:

If things were exciting and you didn't want to leave the viewing area then there were people walking around selling drinks and ice creams etc - all you had to do was wave them over.

There were some limitations due to sponsor restrictions, and also scope. Not much puds, fruit, cakes or sweet things apart from ice cream, but you could get a tea and cake in the cafe in the Nothe Fort (more on that later)

Other things to know

There's a Olympic shop for t-shirts and souvenirs but note they accept only cash or Visa credit cards.

The races offshore are shown on big screen TV the same as elsewhere, except if you wave your flag a lot and paint your face with your country's flag you have the chance of being shown up there thanks to the many TV crews wandering around.

The seating area is basically a grassy hill so if its wet you might want something to sit on. However there are tables and chairs for lunch including a large covered area.

The Nothe Fort is mostly indoors which could be nice if its very wet or hot.

You can keep track of what's going on using the fantastic London Olympic Apps which have everything from schedule, tables and athletes but also who's in what position around each mark.

Couldn't find anywhere to buy things like sun cream so you might want to bring that with you.

And finally...

Remember you're there to have fun and you don't have to watch every second of every race!

London Olympics: Monday Elliot Match Sailing Photos

London Olympics: Monday 49er sailing photos

London Olympics: Good day for spectators, less so for Team GB

Just returned from a fun day out in Weymouth watching the Olympic Sailing.

Perfect conditions, good wind, no rain, mostly sunny (sometimes too sunny) and lots of action in front of the Nothe Fort, including the prang above when in the 49ers the Finns got their spinnaker in a knot in the water and promptly capsized.

The only downer was that Team GB was less sparkly than the water, with even mighty Ben struggling against that darn Dane.

Its not all bad as Iain Percy and Andrew Simpson are doing rather well in the Star class.

More to come, in the mean time: Go Team GB!

London Olympics: Star class - we woz robbed!

I can see I'm going to get no work done for the next two weeks.

The reason is that the sailing is can be streamed live or catchup on the web so you can follow every tack and gybe of key races like yesterday's Star class battle between Team GB (hurrah!) and Brazil.

It was so close and on the final part of the final downwind leg Iain Percy and Andrew Simpson surged into the lead and was all set to squeak across the line first.

It was a photo finish but alas the judges gave the 1st to Brazil with Team GB 0.00 seconds behind.

I call that a dead heat and joint first.

Humph!

London Olympics: Bacon sandwiches and cold beers

It the event on the tall ship Maja there was of course a celebration of Denmark's food and drink, and appropriately they chose two favourites of sailors.

How many sailing trips of mine have started with a juicy bacon sandwich prepared in a cafe somewhere on the shores of the Solent? And how many have ended with a beer in some bar, from St. Lucia to Reykjavik?

So yes, there was bacon, prepared by a chef with beetroot, and also a bottle of ice cold beer, brewed and bottled especially for the Maja (see above).

Now that cold one did go down very well on a day when London glowed under a scorching summer sun.

London Olympics: Denmark's Tall Ship Maja

Earlier last week I heard that Denmark had brought a Viking boat over to London and after the Arctic Sail expedition was immediately interested. Pinging off an email I got an invitation to go on-board the tall ship Maja, as blogged here, and a lovely boat she was too.

Built in 1918 she was originally a two masted fishing boat, iron hull with Douglas-fir masts. Then in 1931 she was extended by 7m, given an extra mast and converted into a cargo ship.

Remarkably her working life ended only in 1979 and now she is the centre piece of Denmark's Imagination event at St. Katherine's Dock London for the next three weeks:

The Maja was sailed over from Denmark by just 5 crew - the skipper and then two sets of two person watches, which seems quite minimal to me.

I would so like to have a chance to sail something like that at sea, watching those masts and sails silhouetted against a night's sky full of stars.

London Olympics: Women's Cycle Road Race

Another day, another chance of a medal. This time its the women's cycle road race, here crossing Putney Bridge on the way out, which means more lyrca and helmets for Tillerman.

Good luck Team GB!

London Olympics: Men's Cycle Road Race

After last night's great opening ceremony it was time for sport and one of the first events was the men's cycle road race. Its route crossed Putney Bridge twice, once on the way out of London and once on the way back, so of course I went down to watch.

There was a great mood all the time, with the police motorbike riders doubling up as warming up act for the main show.

Of course the bikes flew by in a second or two, just time for a lucky shot to capture Britain's Bradley Wiggins (above), winner of the 2012 Tour de France

Then they were gone and the crowd relaxed, smiling and barriers were broken, so strangers talked to strangers and found connections (more later).

Alas the race didn't go according to a script by Danny Boyle and so there were no medals for Team GB.

Ah well, many days to go.

London Olympics: Sassi's hanging with Paloma

Hi Guys!

What can I say but Paloma Faith ROCKS!!!!

Afterwards stayed and partied to DJ Dalston Superstore - at least I think I did, all a bit of a blur. Epic!

Love ya!

Sassi xxx

London Olympics: A Thrilling Opening Ceremony

Yesterday evening at 20:12 exactly the Red Arrows roared across the skies of London (above); it was the start of a totally thrilling Olympic Opening Ceremony.

Spoiler Alert! If you haven't seen it stop reading immediately!

Before hand there was talk of finding "the image" that would define the London Games, but in this case there were so many its hard to chose my favourite.

Was it Kenneth Branagh as Isambard Kingdom Brunel, quoting from Shakespeare's The Tempest: “Be not afeard: the isle is full of noises"?

Was it the sight of the pastoral landscape changing to the industrial in front of our eyes?

Was it the Olympic rings being forged in Britain's Industrial Revolution arranging themselves in the air in the midst of the 2012 Stadium?

Was it the Queen playing herself greeting James Bond?

Was it the flyby of the historic centre of London?

Was it the Bond music as the skydivers jumped from the helicopter?

Was it JK Rowling reading from Peter Pan?

Was it Mary Poppins battling it out with Voldemort?

Was it all those wonderful children playing their parts to perfection?

Was it the hysterically funny Mr Bean (not often you can say that)?

Was it the extraordinary range of music across all those years, from Elgar to Dizzee Rascal?

Was it the way the whole diversity of modern London was on display?

Was it the www moment with Tim Berners-Lee typing out "This is for everyone"?

Was it the way the victims of the bombings of 2005, the day after the Games were won by London, were honoured?

Was it the little touches, the shipping forecast, the Archers, the Thames?

Was it the connections, such as the Arctic Monkeys coming from Sheffield, one of the steel making towns that could forge something like an Olympic Ring

Was it Becks powering his way under a Tower Bridge raining fire?

Was it the spirit of inspiration when the torch was handed from today's athletes to the new generation?

Was it the magical Olympic torch coming together in a blaze of light?

Was it Macca leading a 80,000 strong chorus singing Hey Jude?

Was it the hard work of all those volunteers coming together in such a brilliant show?

I don't know, but this lip was not stiff, this eye was not dry.

Fingers crossed the rest of the games can proceed equally without hiccups.

London Olympics: London's Pride

Today London is the Olympics, the Olympics is London.

Everywhere you go there are events, on the tube and trains arrows point towards sports grounds, countless people with LOCOG badges or 2012 organiser t-shirts, camera crews, sports men and women, pavilions for each of the countries of the world, flags, costumes.....

Connecting everything together is an electric excitement, the knowledge that this is the moment, where it begins, where it happens, where the gaze of the world is focussed.

Welcome, everyone, to London: we hope you have a truly wonderful time here in our great city.

London Olympics: the Gloriana carries the torch

The Olympic torch is taking its final journey, down the Thames from Hampton Court to Tower Bridge.

It was taken in style by the royal barge Gloriana, created especially for the Queen's Diamond Jubilee and powered by Olympic rowers.

Along the way torch bearers lit a special beacon at the bow while the rowers saluted in the traditional way:

London Olympics: Tall Ship Maja under Tower Bridge

Yesterday I was lucky enough to go on the tall ship Maja for a short cruise up the Thames including as a highlight going under Tower Bridge.

Lots more pics to come but many thanks to Visit Denmark, currently installed at St. Katherine's doc, for the invite.

The best of best bits of the trip has no photos because that's when I put down the camera and just enjoyed the moment.

To be on a tall ship, under Tower Bridge, in bright sunshine on a hot afternoon, in the centre of London the day before the Olympics started.... just wonderful, my heart was full of excitement and pride.

Let the Games begin!

London Olympics: Sassi luvs sailing!! - updated

Hi guys,

OMG, you will not believe it but that email on my BB meant I just scored tickets to the invitation only Paloma Faith gig at Hackney House tomorrow!!!

JP is like gutted he didn't get any.

So anyhow, as I was saying I was doing this Media Studies course and the lecturer had this thing about traditional journalism skills bla bla bla and the need to get a good grounding bla bla bla and so I thinks to myself what is more traditional than blogging? Right?

And to be honest these bloggers need a little help - I mean JP didn't even get a pic of that Star Trek actor holding the torch! What was going on there? No chance for "Phasers set to run" gags than.

Anyhow my agent says I need a more rounded CV so here I am.

Gotta go now!

Luv ya!

Sassi xxx

London Olympics: Sassi luvs sailing!!

Hi Guys!

I just gotta say I luuuuv sailing!! I mean I was in Ibiza for DJ ShiteSound's NudeGrl sessions - which were epic! - when someone suggested hiring some jet skis and it was, like, awesome!

Me and Pixie were just mental, and no one could keep up with us!

Best. Hangover. Cure. Ever.

So when I googled myself and found JP was, like, a fan or something, I said I could so help out these sailing dudes now I was between contracts!

In fact -

Oops, that's the BB, gotta go.....

Later guys!

Sassi xxx



Photo from: here

London Olympics: Buff & Ben, BFF

G'day all! Buff Staysail here! Buff by name and Buff by nature!

Well this is the big one, the Olympics, and yours truly is going to be at the heart of it, just as I was for the University Boat Race and the Diamond Jubilee Pageant thing!!

It's going to be mega and I'm looking forward to pounding the streets of Weymouth to answer that key question - which pub do the Olympic sailors hang out in?

Of course it's weird to be on JP's team full of poms when we know that us Aussies are far better at sailing than them - just look at the world championship last year in Perth!

But I can take it because of the big picture - to be where the action is down in Weymouth, sharing a pint with Ben Ainslie.

Buff & Ben, BFF!

This is Buff Staysail, star Olympic reporter, over and out!


Photo from: Wikipedia

London Olympics: Meet Team JP!

There was the thrilling air of excitement at JP HQ for the official launch of Team JP.

Its a once in a lifetime opportunity to blog the Olympics here in London where the usual hectic swirl had become tornado intense.

Every day there are countless events, and that's before the games have even begun, so covering it all single handed was clearly out of the question. But who could I turn to?

One person literally camping outside was of course our good friend Buff Staysail (btw Buff, the residents association were not impressed by the peeing behind the tent episode). How could they have a top of the line sailing event without ol' Buff commentating?

But I was also convinced by an expert (she says) in the industry of the need to reach out to beyond the usual blog audience to a younger, hipper, more with-it, in-time, connected generation.

So please give a big welcoming hello to this blog's show-biz and yoof columnist, Sassi Tweet!!

Over the next two blogs I'll let our two guest commentators give us their vision for blogging the Olympics.

So that's all good then!!!




Photo from: Wikipedia

London Olympics: the torch plus Patrick Stewart

Its the final days before 2012's biggest sporting event and after criss-crossing its way around the UK the Olympic torch has finally reached the streets of London.

We're all getting pretty excited and the weather is doing its bit with glorious sunshine, basking the capital in a holiday glow.

The torch-bearers are usually worthy sorts who've done their bit for the community (as the case here) but the following leg it was being carried by none other than Captain J-LP aka Jean-Luc Picard !!

Ok, it was really Patrick Stewart, seen below in the bus waiting his turn.

There was a great carnival like atmosphere apart from the one over eager salesman who tried to use the occasion to try to advertise his company's insurance brokerage.

The minders spotted this potential infringement of sponsors hard earned rights and he was surrounded by the boys in blue before you could say "make it so".

I don't know who the official insurance partner is but it was impossible to miss the great big buses with pounding music and dancers from Samsung, Coke-Cola and Lloyds Bank.

It was such good fun it seems a certain special someone seemed to have come along to join in too:

Come back tomorrow as we announce this blog's big plans for the London 2012 Olympics.