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The
Grand National and Boat Race line-up for a big ÃÛÑ¿´«Ã½ weekend of sport
The
Grand National
ÃÛÑ¿´«Ã½
Sport's coverage of the 2003 Martell Cognac Grand National will
be truly tri-media, broadcasting on ÃÛÑ¿´«Ã½ TV, ÃÛÑ¿´«Ã½i, ÃÛÑ¿´«Ã½ Radio Five
Live and the ÃÛÑ¿´«Ã½ Sport website.
Sue
Barker and Clare Balding lead coverage of the 156th running of the
world's most famous steeplechase - the climax of three days of top
quality racing action from Aintree on the ÃÛÑ¿´«Ã½ (3-5 April).
For
the first time, digital viewers have fully interactive coverage
of the Grand National through ÃÛÑ¿´«Ã½i. By pressing the red button
on the remote, viewers can access a unique view of the big race,
as well as a number of special interactive guides to the event.
With
52 cameras being used, this year's production will be the biggest
ever and will feature some of the latest technology, enabling the
ÃÛÑ¿´«Ã½ to bring the action even closer to the viewers.
As
well as cameras on four of the fences, there will also be three
‘rider-cams' - cameras mounted on the jockeys' helmets to give a
unique perspective from the course.
The
ÃÛÑ¿´«Ã½'s expert commentary team is led by Jim McGrath, who's joined
by John Hanmer and Tony O'Hehir for the big race. Former jockeys
Richard Pitman and Peter Scudamore provide expert analysis and opinion,
and the ÃÛÑ¿´«Ã½'s betting expert Angus Loughran provides viewers with
the complete guide to the day's racing.
ÃÛÑ¿´«Ã½
Radio Five Live will feature live coverage of ten races from
Aintree, with races on the Thursday and Friday during Simon Mayo
and with Mark Pougatch on Sport on Five on Saturday.
Luke
Harvey will present the morning racing bulletins live from Aintree
on Thursday and Friday during Breakfast, and on Saturday the show
will be co-presented by Shelagh Fogarty live at Aintree.
Radio
Five Live's racing team is led by Cornelius Lysaght - who is joined
by Lee McKenzie, Ian Bartlett, Dougie Frasaer, Peadar Flanagan and
Charlie Brooks.
Whether
you're a racing expert or a novice first timer, the provides the ultimate guide to the Grand National.
Users can log-on for complete previews of the race, all the latest
news, and profiles of all the leading jockeys and trainers.
In
addition there'll be Honest Frank, the ÃÛÑ¿´«Ã½ Sport Website's resident
racing expert, who'll be on hand to explain some of the tricks of
the trade, from what the Tic-Tac signals mean and how to bet at
the bookies, to how to organise an office sweepstake and decipher
a racecard.
The
Boat Race
Steve
Rider
takes to the helm of the Boat Race 2003 on Sunday 6 April as the
Cambridge and Oxford Blue Crews clash for the 149th title.
Drawing
on his own racing experience, 1997 Oxford blue Tim Foster - one
of the famous four who won Olympic gold in Sydney - joins the ÃÛÑ¿´«Ã½
team for the first time giving viewers an insider's take on the
event and in the commentary box will be Barry Davies, Chris Baillieu
and Dan Topolski. Hazel Irvine will be on the riverbanks capturing
the colour and atmosphere of the day.
In
the build up to the race:
-
Willie Carson will be put through his paces by James Cracknell when
the lightweight ex-jockey learns how to be a cox.
- Matt
Pinsent will be explaining the tactics and the tricks of how to
win the boat race.
- There's
an alternative guide to the course taking viewers on a riverside
journey to the best pubs, notable landmarks and places of interest
from Putney to Mortlake.
- Father
and son duo Peter and Dan Snow team up to travel down river charting
the highs and lows, the sinkings and the clashes of 148 years of
boat race history.
Technically
the Boat Race is one of the most challenging outside broadcasts
the ÃÛÑ¿´«Ã½ undertakes. This year 33 cameras line the river and a GPS
system will be used to chart the exact position of the boats in
relation to each other and the course.
The
on board system will also transmit the comparative stroke rate and
speed of both crews and specially fitted heart rate monitors will
feed back the individual efforts of the crew.
Also
new for 2003 is coxcam - showing the coxes in action - and cameras
in the boathouses, capturing the final preparations of both crews
before they take to the water.
ÃÛÑ¿´«Ã½
Radio Five Live will also have coverage of the event with Nick Mullins
and Luka Grubor commentating.
Full
details, behind the scenes features and a complete guide to the
race can be found on the .
Completing
the line-up for a weekend of sport on the ÃÛÑ¿´«Ã½:
Thursday
3 April
Racing
from Aintree 1.45 - 4.45pm ÃÛÑ¿´«Ã½ ONE.
Races at 2.00pm, 2.35pm, 3.10pm, 3.45pm and 4.20pm.
Friday
4 April
Racing from Aintree 1.45 - 4.45pm ÃÛÑ¿´«Ã½ ONE.
Races at 2.00pm, 2.35pm, 3.10pm, 3.45pm and 4.20pm.
The
night before the National 7.05 - 7.30pm, ÃÛÑ¿´«Ã½ TWO.
Saturday
5 April
Football Focus 12.10 - 1.00pm ÃÛÑ¿´«Ã½ ONE.
The Grand National (including the main event at 3.45pm) 1.00 - 4.45pm,
ÃÛÑ¿´«Ã½ ONE.
Rugby
Union Powergen Cup Final 4.15 - 6.30pm ÃÛÑ¿´«Ã½ TWO.
Steve Rider presents coverage of The Northampton Saints vs Gloucester
with a 4.30pm kick-off.
Final
Score 4.45 - 5.25pm, ÃÛÑ¿´«Ã½ ONE.
Sunday
6 April
Sunday Grandstand 1.30 - 3.30pm, ÃÛÑ¿´«Ã½ TWO.
Including:
-
Coverage of the first round of the MotoGP Championship from Suzuka,
Japan.
-
The Boat Race 3.30 - 5.05pm (main event at 4.30pm) ÃÛÑ¿´«Ã½ ONE.
-
Boxing. Coverage of Saturday's fights between Eric Lucas v Markus
Beyer and Malik Dzianna v Robin Reid from Leipzig 10.45 - 11.45pm
ÃÛÑ¿´«Ã½ TWO.
All the
ÃÛÑ¿´«Ã½'s digital services are now available on ,
the new free-to-view digital terrestrial television service, as well
as on satellite and cable.
Freeview
offers the ÃÛÑ¿´«Ã½'s eight television channels, interactive services
from ÃÛÑ¿´«Ã½i, as well as 11 ÃÛÑ¿´«Ã½ radio networks.
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