Centerfold Sailing

Recently I have began to send articles and photos to the local newspaper in a hope they will be published to showcase sailing and the sport that accentuates every possible feeling and emotion known to mankind (and womankind of course).

Surprisingly, the information that I am sending in seems to be hitting the spot with the sports journalists and are they are requesting updates each deadline with the view to publish in the weekly newspaper.

After the week long Sail & Play holiday program for kids there were an abundance of photos available that I wanted to share with the world. So I put fingertips to keys and wrote a quick snippet and wrap up of the program and selected the most appropriate photo to accompany it.

Low and behold it was published!

Last weekend the Yachting Queensland Youth State Championships were raced and as I am far and beyond ever being a youth again I used the regatta as an opportunity to photograph the racing. Together with a photo and an outline of the event I emailed it off by the deadline time to the Editor in Chief.

Low and behold it was published!

Now my gripe is that I don’t understand why the general public, or landlubbers as they are more commonly known, consider sailing to be a non-spectator sport? Why is it that no matter how much we wish to believe it, sailing really wont ever make the front page headlines or be a feature story on the sporting channel unless there has been a tragedy or for an hour before the Sydney to Hobart yacht race.

When I flicked through the paper yesterday morning I was melted to see that both the articles on sailing were published for the region to see. That perhaps these readers would ponder the thought of going for a sail or trying to get involved just by a few fancy moments that were captured on still film and pressed onto newspaper (in colour I might add).

What do we need to do to get the word out there? What barriers must we overcome to be accepted in the general news or should we just be happy that sailing will always be compared to other extreme sports and respect the fact that we are a slight majority, excentric, alternate and even bizarre fleet of people whom understand the key ingredient of mind blowing adrenaline is salt, wind, water and a kick arse boat?

I’m sure that when each and every one of you read your local newspaper and by chance there happens to be a picture and article of sailing, you stop to read it. Take it all in, relate to the topic and emerge with satisfaction that what you love made the press.

Should we settle with our corner space in society or should we be doing more to showcase just how spectacular sailing, whether it be racing or cruising, really is?