With a number of long time friends of SA on the US Sailing Team, we’ve been anxiously awaiting the Amory Ross shot and edited 6-part Youtube microseries Rising Tide that, we were told, would really help get America pumped up about the athletes who’ll represent America in Brazil in 2016. And with Amory’s track record of pulling a good story together (think Mar Mostro in the middle of the Atlantic with no mast) we had high expectations. But after checking out the 8-minute long Episode 1, we have to say we’re underwhelmed by the Sperry-underwritten production; and based on the decidedly weak viewer numbers after two weeks online and an e-blast to the full 40,000 US Sailing list, (a hair over 2,000 views combined between Sperry’s and US Sailing’s pages), the public agrees. While it’s great to see good production values and pretty imagery rather than the usual blurry Facebook interview, there’s very little meat in the movie except for a heartfelt speech from one of our best medal hopefuls, Paige Railey. Both the team and the director can do better; consider the fire under your asses lit.
