The Inside Story.
In the 54th running of one of the most dangerous, most prized sailing races in the world, 115 boats set out from Sydney but only 43 reached Hobart. In the cyclone that shredded the fleet 7 boats were abandoned, 5 sank, 6 sailors died and 45 had to be pulled from the sea. What is it that compels men to risk all at sea in The Proving Ground?
Included in the race were Silicon Valley billionaire Larry Ellison (who won the race on "Sayonara" with a paid crew and a three million dollar boat); his main sailing rival Australian real estate magnate George Snow; "Sword Of Orion" with British Olympic helmsman Glyn Charles; and - at the centre - Richard Winning, the old guard owner of the "Winston Churchill", the oldest boat in the race which went down along with two of its crew.
Bruce Knecht interviewed all the survivors from the "Sword" and the "Winston Churchill", and 21 of the 22 crew of "Sayonara", as well as numerous other sailors and those involved in the tragic 1998 race. Combining the best elements of adventure/drama writing, he recreates one of the worst sailing disasters in history and explores the drive that "causes people who have mastered their destinies on land to insist on risking everything at sea".
