Wawrinka’s big win, Ten Hag defiant, what happened overnight in the world of sport
America’s Cup poised to remain in New Zealand hands, Wawrinka lands blow for ‘oldies’, Kiwis in World Cup final
Sailing has all manner of obstacles in the way of its prospects of cutting through to the masses. For starters, it is hardly the most accessible sport.
A lot of us will have been gripped watching Wimbledon or the French Open on television and promptly picked up a racquet and started hitting some balls. If football is your thing, you can kick a ball against a wall or around the park. Cricket needs only two people, a small ball and something resembling a bat and you have a game.
Highly unlikely, though, that other than those already in the sailing community, anyone watching the America’s Cup is going to climb off their sofa and into a boat.
The fact that some viewers might quite fancy the idea, however, is testament to the spectacle being delivered off the coast of Barcelona by the Kiwi and British boats, and the television producers and organisers.
Hong Kong sailor Nicholas Halliday recently told us he feared for his sport’s Olympic place because it is a tough watch on the TV.
Coverage of this America’s Cup has perfectly balanced insight and nuance with a simple explanation of the drama, which has allowed the uninformed observer to understand a compelling narrative; the latest instalment of which was among the sporting stories that unfolded while you were sleeping.
Ten Hag hits out
