Morin awarded

Ericsson 3 media crewman picks up Inmarsat Media Prize for leg 5

Ericsson 3 MCM Gustav Morin has beaten off strong competition to win the Inmarsat Media Prize for Leg 5 of the Volvo Ocean Race, from Qingdao to Rio. The trophy and prize money (€1,000) were presented to Morin in Rio by Chris McLaughlin, Vice President External Affairs, Inmarsat. Nominated twice for the prize, Morin was a deserving winner on this leg according to Prize sponsor, leading mobile satellite service provider, Inmarsat.

Chris McLaughlin commented: “The HDTV footage is capturing the imagination of the general public and generating an increasingly large and loyal race following around the globe. The success and performance of FleetBroadband during this race will, I believe, dramatically change how international sailing events are marketed from here on.

"The creative art of story telling was very much alive on this leg. Each cameraman weaved their own special brand of humour into the tapestry of life on board. The young Swede’s reporting skills honed at TV 8, shows flashes of brilliance and award winning potential."

The Inmarsat Media Prize is unique as it is the only Film Maker Prize presented in the sailing world. Morin’s winning footage took viewers from the serenity of a circulating Albatross to hilarious cookery antics that will have Jamie Oliver’s agent calling.

Food also featured strongly in Prize nominees Rick Deppe from Puma and Gabriele Olivo on Telefonica Blue - must be something to do with the stark rationing on this leg. Rick has a balance many film makers would envy - he captured the frustration of skipper Ken Read talking about this ‘ fricking chess game in slow motion’, the emotional phone call to first time dad Michi Mueller, and the genuine warmth of crew congratulations on the arrival of his daughter to the tradition celebration of rounding Cape Horn naked.

Nudity almost featured in Telefonica’s footage, Olivo’s material mixed MCM duties including funny skits on how to cook spaghetti Bolognese spliced with brilliant downwind shots. The horror of a damaged mainsail brought the camera back to the business in hand.

The competition between the cameramen is expected to escalate the nearer they get to St Petersburg where there is an additional €10,000 prize to be awarded to the MCM judged to have made the best overall contribution to race coverage.