“I will learn more from playing sport beside a colleague in an hour than by working with them for a year.”
That was a line from John Cronin of PwC at a Sport for Business Round Table on Sport and Employment and it was brought to life last night on the waters of Dun Laoghaire Harbour.
Earlier in the day the Irish Sailing Association’s Olympic Team and Tony O’Reilly, CEO of Providence Resources had talked through the pathway of ten sailors hoping, indeed expecting, to represent Ireland at the Rio Olympic Games. Four hours later they showed us what Olympic sailing was like in a very up close and personal manner.
Memorable
We speak a lot on Sport for Business about the creation of memorable experiences; of using sport and sponsorship to reach for the heart and make a stand out moment that will be recalled in years to come.
Last night I was the novice sailor, the confirmed land lubber, among a team of Olympic 49’er sailor Matt McGovern, Insomnia and Titan Marketing Chairman and Newstalk presenter Bobby Kerr; Independent Newspapers Senior Business writer Sarah McCabe, and Jakub Czarcinski from Providence.
We raced across the water against five other similarly eclectic groups, each headed by a sailor heading for Santander in the coming weeks to complete their first shot at ensuring a place for Rio.
Whether we helped them on the way is uncertain but if they make it to the Top 10 or a medal position in two years time we will doubtless claim that the tacking and goose winging, the searching for clean air and the fighting against penalties will have perhaps given them something towards that extra 1% that could make all the difference.
Overboard
In truth Sarah, Bobby and Jacob were so proficient that a coaching role might yet beckon. They were kind enough to say that I had ‘kept a cool head’ and didn’t fall overboard. But boy was it fun.
Our races were 20 minutes long, from just inside the east pier over towards the headquarters of Irish Lights. Along the way we avoided each other as well as the motley boats that are sailed in number across the harbour every Tuesday and Thursday night.
From Rowers whose muscles were tearing, healing and growing with every pull of the oars to Moth sailors, capable of 30 knots (55 kilometres an hour) with no brakes and a construct that would make gossamer spook like iron.
We veered to port and starboard, sailed away to catch the wind and back to steal our own three ‘podium’ results. Matt was a great teacher and never once put his hand on the tiller. First Bobby. then Sarah, then Jacob took their racing turn and performed with skill and dexterity.
Clambering
There was a bit of clambering, a hint of sliding and a lot of pulling but blisters were the worst we suffered en route into our memory banks.
Afterwards there was a drink, a bit to eat and a chance to get to talk to the others in the group. Everyone had a blast. I met with a group of workers from Providence Resources who are passionate about their business and aware in a way that would put most of us to shame about the achievements of our Olympic sailors.
They came from legal, geological, admin and accounting backgrounds but they were there last night as Team Providence, part of the Olympic journey and enjoying every moment.
James Espey is one of the many strong characters on the team. He sails a laser, in solitary pursuit of his own sailing dream and at the age of 30 has sailed at six World Championships and the London Olympics.
Minority
“I enjoy these days of engaging with sponsors and media,” he said. “I’d like to do more as we are able to tell our story and as a minority sport that can sometimes be as challenging as what we do on the water.”
When he retires he will take over his Father’s clothing shop in Newtonards. “Every year he asks me have I got funding again and every year I do is another year devoted to the sailing and delaying his retirement but he started me in this at the age of 7, and has supported me every step of the way.”
The stories of Espey, of Saskia Tidey and her Banana bread diet, of Finn Lynch who will leave for the World Championships on the day his leaving cert results, and of course of Annalise Murphy who came so close to an Olympic medal in London and has improved again since are powerful ones of dedication, six months overseas, hard training, laughter and sporting excellence.
Platform
Our role as media and sponsors is to build a platform so their stories can be told. In that way we will help them achieve their targets in life and sport, and help inspire the next generation to go faster, get fitter and be great.
Sport is powerful in so many ways. It’s not all about the big days at Croke Park or the Aviva Stadium. Last night we got a glimpse of the magic away from the bright lights.
Well done to James O’Callaghan and Rachel Solon of the ISA, Pauline McAlester of Murray Consultants and Fiona Bolger for pulling together a great night.
