Sports production company, Sunset+Vine, has been selected by the INEOS 1:59 Challenge team to provide a 360-degree host broadcast, digital and distribution solution to cover the world’s greatest marathon runner and world record holder Eliud Kipchoge’s attempt to break the legendary two-hour marathon barrier.
The INEOS 1:59 Challenge is Kipchoge’s second attempt to become the first person in history to run the 26.2-mile marathon distance (42.2km) in under two hours. The attempt is scheduled for the morning of Saturday October 12th 2019 although a window will remain open until Sunday October 20th in case of adverse weather conditions in The Prater, Vienna, Austria.
The primary enhanced programme feed will contain links and signposts to specially-curated live second screen content and user-controlled data streams provided by a collaboration between Sunset+Vine, INEOS and Singular Live.
Discussions are currently underway between Sunset+Vine’s distribution team and broadcasters and platforms to create an innovative and global broadcast framework that can deliver the challenge to the widest possible television and digital audience. In addition, Sunset+Vine TV News will be providing a full news production and distribution service both in the build-up to the Challenge and on the day itself. And Sunset+Vine’s digital team will be creating content and stories for all social platforms both in the build-up and live on the day.
Andrew Preece, Executive Director, Sunset+Vine said;“This is a Challenge that tests the extreme limits of human capability. As such, it’s our duty to position this milestone alongside landing on the moon, breaking the four-minute mile, the sub 10 second 100 metres and sailing round the world in under 80 days.
“The INEOS 1:59 Challenge requires much more than a straight host broadcast coverage plan to deliver a memorable broadcast proposition. It’s a mission that has been months in the making and which must reach a crescendo as Eliud Kipchoge, the greatest marathon runner of all time, starts his attempt. It requires not just broadcast planning but also news, social and digital activation build-up to capture the attention of the world’s broadcast community and to generate viewer demand. It must resonate on a global level.”
Tom Crotty, INEOS Group Director for Corporate Affairs and Communications, commented; “For endurance athletes and athletics fans, this is the most extraordinary challenge for a human being. Achieving this would be almost super human. Eliud Kipchoge is in the best form of his life and now is the time for him, and the assembled team of experts, to take on this epic challenge.
“We aspire to create a landmark live broadcast that reflects the enormity of Eliud’s attempt. Sunset+Vine’s vision brings the Challenge alive, incorporating a range of technical and editorial innovations with a cast of global star quality guests and contributors, in a way that will surprise and engage viewers. We are confident that their approach will set the profile of the INEOS 1:59 Challenge at a very high level internationally.”
The INEOS 1:59 Challenge is supported by INEOS, one of the world’s largest manufacturing companies. Eliud Kipchoge’s previous attempt to break the two-hour barrier, in his sponsor Nike’s Breaking2 project, saw him finish on the Monza race track with a time of 2 hours and 25 seconds. He now needs to improve on this by 26 seconds, or one second per mile.
Staff Reporter
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