Latest news with #grandstand
News.com.au
13 hours ago
- Automotive
- News.com.au
‘As a party, it stands alone': Ipswich Cup meeting bounces back from grandstand fire
There were the dramatic scenes of a burning grandstand in the lead-up to last year's Ipswich Cup, but it has been far more smooth sailing this time for officials who are expecting a bumper crowd of more than 12,000 on Saturday. An electrical fire on Cup eve last year saw extraordinary scenes at the popular meeting with the main grandstand empty apart from the racecaller. 'Obviously one aspect we are looking forward to is having people back in the grandstand following the Cup eve fire last year,' Ipswich Turf Club CEO Nathan Exelby said. 'Broadcaster David Fowler cut a lonely figure as the only person in that stand last year. 'Restoration works were completed in October and we're looking forward to seeing our members and guests back in that stand for the 2025 Cup. 'The crowd last year was 12,500 and we are expecting a similar number this time around based on ticket pre-sales. 'The Ipswich Turf Club is proud of the role its TAB Cup meeting plays in the winter carnival landscape. 'It's not a Group race meeting, but as a party, it stands alone. Sean Tou played the role of fireman when he charged into a burning grandstand at Ipswich to save the club's biggest race meeting earlier this year and has pulled off recovery work of a different type in reviving the track after a recent renovation. ðŸ'‡ — Racenet (@RacenetTweets) September 15, 2024 'The combination of the infield festival and the 200m-plus marquee line along the home straight, it is a sight to behold and newcomers to the Cup meeting are consistently amazed at the scope of the event. 'The Brisbane Racing Club do a super job with their carnival, having positioned it as the launching pad to future stardom. 'Ipswich doesn't attract that same level of horse, but we run three very competitive stakes races and another (the TL Cooney) that is knocking on the door of being upgraded to black type status.' While the race day is known for the $250,000 Ipswich Cup, the Listed Gai Waterhouse Classic and Listed Eye Liner Stakes are also key races. It might not be the Group 1 Stradbroke day that we saw last Saturday, but Ipswich has its own iconic spot. 'The weather gods finally tipped their hat to the Brisbane Racing Club and the Stradbroke meeting was simply outstanding,' Racing Queensland CEO Lachlan Murray said. 'Attention now turns to Ipswich Turf Club. 'Nathan Exelby hosted a Calcutta on Thursday night, the first time it has ever been held at the Turf Club itself and it was a good warm up for the Ipswich Cup meeting. 'The weather gods are smiling and the fields are looking good; I expect a great day of racing.' The Ipswich Cup is one of the most attended race meetings in Queensland every year.
BBC News
06-06-2025
- General
- BBC News
Isle of Man TT: Sign language interpreter makes event 'inclusive'
Providing a British Sign Language interpreter for some Isle of Man TT races makes the event "inclusive", those behind the service have "Deaf TT", the service sees live captions for radio commentary provided on the event's website as well as British Sign Language interpreted coverage at a section of the grandstand during the final two days of racing. Launched in 2016 by the Manx Deaf Society, the initiative aims to make the event more accessible for those who cannot follow live spoken commentary. Chief executive Lucy Buxton said it enabled those with a hearing impairment to be on the "same playing field" as they were given the information as it happened. "If you have to rely on someone else to get that information you sometimes feel as though you are an afterthought," she the past, those who could not follow live coverage would rely on a summary of the race released in the evening, or would need to be told what had Buxton said as the TT was "so fast", as soon as someone explains what had just happened "they have missed the next thing".The service provided the "same access possibility, whether people choose to follow it or not", and meant that the TT "becomes quite an inclusive event", she continued. Ms Buxton said the idea came about following a trip to see a Formula One race in Italy with her husband when a lack of English commentary demonstrated what it was like not to be able to follow what was being service was developed after similar frustrations werE raised by the society's members in relation to the government now provides nine free seats at the Grandstand on both Friday and Saturday of race week, as well as organising the captions for commentary on the TT signed commentary is provided by a visiting British Sign Language (BSL) interpreter UK organisation place names and people's names were finger spelt in BSL, organisers had to create their own vocabulary for brevity due the fast-paced included Cronk y Voddy becoming "road jump jump" and May Hill in Ramsey turning into "house of the vampires" due to a gothic looking house on the corner, Ms Buxton said. Similarly signs were created for the riders who were often mentioned in commentary, such as John McGuinness who is now the sign for a interpretor for the event Carol Kyle said it was a "privilege to make the races accessible to those who live on the island or visit" for the said as the TT was a time trial, it could be "extremely challenging" explaining the person ahead on the road was not necessarily the person winning."But the enthusiasm of the commentators is very infectious, and hopefully I translate that enthusiasm, anticipation and speed so people get that feeling of the TT," she added. Read more stories from the Isle of Man on the BBC, watch BBC North West Tonight on BBC iPlayer and follow BBC Isle of Man on Facebook and X.
