The Cruising Yacht Club of Australia (CYCA) is pleased to announce that two household names in the Australian sporting community, Gordon Bray AM and Peter Shipway, are the official commentators for the 2024 Rolex Sydney Hobart Yacht Race (RSHYR).
The dynamic duo will join other experts on Channel Nine and the 9Now app live stream for the Boxing Day race start, where they will broadcast live from a vessel on the Harbour.
Australian Olympic medallist, Lisa Darmanin, will again be part of the team, providing expert on water commentary. The telecast begins at 1230hrs ahead of the 1300hrs race start.
This isn’t Bray’s first time in the Sydney Hobart commentator hotseat. Known as the ‘Voice of Rugby’, he first covered the race for the ABC in 1971, when Jim Kilroy’s Kialoa II took Line Honours.
“Having started covering the race over 50 years ago, it’s almost a fatal attraction,” Bray said.
“You can’t ignore it, [the Sydney Hobart] is one of the great events on the Australian sporting calendar.”
Bray has a strong connection to the race. As an ABC reporter, he completed six Sydney Hobarts on board the Radio Relay Vessel. His last time on board was the wild race in 1984 after which his wife put her foot down after Bray was almost washed overboard by a freak wave.
Bray will also achieve the unique honour of having called the race start for every free-to-air TV broadcaster – the ABC, and Channels Seven and Ten. And now it’s his turn with Nine.
Bray said he will never tire of covering such a thrilling, edge-of-your-seat event.
“It’s an adventure for the sailors – and I think that’s what captures the imagination of the public – because you just don’t know what’s going to happen. It’s so unpredictable,” he said.
“I’ve always loved the race because it’s about the people as well. Everyone is equal when you go out to sea and you have to perform as a team. The camaraderie you develop is like no other sport.”
Bray and CYCA Life Member Peter Shipway’s first and last time calling the race start together was in 1983, when Bob Bell’s Condor took Line Honours in just over three days.
Two weeks after that Sydney Hobart commentary, Shipway delivered the best man’s speech at Bray’s wedding.
Their friendship of more than 50 years was formed at the Eastern Suburbs Rugby Union Club where both performed. Shipway is still heavily involved with the Club’s very successful high performance Colts’ program (a coaching, physical performance career and study and lifestyle program for rugby players).
Bray’s commentary career spans over 55 years having covered his first Olympics at the Montreal Games in 1976. He recently called the Paris Olympic sailing on Nine Radio.
The two friends share a long-lasting love for sailing and rugby. Bray has completed a few offshore races over the years but is a self-proclaimed “social sailor”.
Avid sailors will be familiar with Shipway’s voice – whether it be the start of the RSHYR, a live stream of an 18ft skiff race or, recently, the Cabbage Tree Island Race (where he was joined by Bray).
Bray has nothing but praise and admiration for his colleague and close mate.
“Peter Shipway – he’s certainly the voice of the Sydney Hobart, but for me he’s the voice of sailing here in Australia, he’s such an iconic figure. All the sailors love ‘Shippo’,” Bray said.
“Working alongside Peter is incredible because he’s a walking encyclopedia. He eats and breathes the sport and knows every boat backwards.”
Shipway, who grew up sailing in Watsons Bay on Sydney Harbour, has competed in 31 Sydney Hobarts, securing five Line Honours wins and two Overall victories. His last Sydney Hobart race was in 2011 on Line Honours victor, Wild Oats XI.
Shipway’s extensive sailing resume also includes a role as a crew member in the America’s Cup 1980 Series Challenge and eight Admiral’s Cups – which was acknowledged as the unofficial world championship of offshore racing.
Bray compared the duo’s commentating dynamic to that of a skipper and crew member.
“He steers the boat and I follow his instructions on sail trim. His ability to educate and inform the audience sets him apart,” Bray said.
“My job is to support [Peter as a co-commentator] and keep the excitement going and make sure everyone gets a real feel for what’s happening. If we can make the viewers feel like they are there out on the water, then we will have achieved what we set out to do.”
By Greta Quealy | RSHYR Media
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