World Triathlon Hamburg 2020: Producing an event in the COVID-19 era By SVG Staff
Monday, September 21, 2020 - 10:21
Print This Story
World Triathlon's yearly Triathlon series, held in seven different countries across multiple races, has seen its 2020 season greatly impacted due to Covid-19: all races were cancelled, except for the Hamburg event, the 2020 World Triathlon World Championships and the 2020 Mixed Relay World Championships that were held on 5-6 September 2020.
Infront Productions, broadcast partner of organising authority World Triathlon and host broadcaster of the Hamburg races, therefore had to reorganise several key aspects of the coverage to be able to uphold the new sanitary standards and guarantee the safety of athletes and crew.
Ultimately, we can't let these COVID-related restrictions hamper our coverage. Our work is to make sure we turn this situation into a positive and find solutions to allow fans to enjoy the return of sports on their screens.
For World Triathlon it was of paramount importance to have our first event after the pandemic being broadcast with the same excellent quality as always, even considering the challenging circumstances faced in Hamburg. And it was a great pleasure, and an absolute success to see that all the efforts we have made were worth it, said World Triathlon president and IOC member Marisol Casado.
The production team, both from Infront Productions and World Triathlon, on-site was flexible and creative, finding solutions to last-minute issues. We managed to show the world that the sports community is prepared for the so-called new normality' and events can happen on a safe and healthy mode, but still showing the athletes compete at their best. It was one of the best TV productions we've ever made.
Practical Impact
The production of the 2020 World Triathlon Hamburg races was impacted practically as the event was moved from its traditional location in the centre of the city to the fenced-off and controlled environment of the Hamburg Stadtpark. This decision was taken to ensure that COVID-related restrictions were abided by, with only athletes and working personnel (including the TV production team) present in the surroundings. No spectators were allowed in the cordoned off sections of the park.
In terms of on-site organisation, camera operators and staff were following social distancing measures put in place, such as wearing the mandatory mask at all times and using plexiglass within the OB van to proof all the positions, explained Julien Bertin, head of Infront Productions France and project manager for the event.
When it came to interacting with the race's participants, the production team also amended their usual procedures to make sure social distancing was implemented. Interviews of the athletes were done using a boom from a distance, to ensure the participants' safety, he added.
Editorial Impact
The practical changes also impacted the coverage of the event from an editorial point of view, with several key modifications made to ensure the quality and variety of the production were upheld despite sanitary restrictions.
Due to the change of location, using a traditional coverage set-up with a helicopter providing an aerial perspective was not possible, as the Hamburg Stadtpark is a densely wooded area.
We chose to use a live drone to replace the helicopter views, which allowed the production crew to film the start, the transition and the finish line, thus enriching the race coverage with these aerial shots, explained Bertin.
The production relied on coverage from motorbikes and fixed cameras along the race course to ensure the narrative of the competition was conveyed (gaps between groups, trailing, dropping or resurgent athletes).
The lack of spectators, as well as the absence of Hamburg downtown shots also meant that the focus of the coverage was fully on the race. In order to maintain a certain level of variety and heighten the storytelling, the production supplemented shots of the race with the insertion of more graphics and replays.
We added graphics to keep the viewer abreast of constant gaps, identifying groups and the performances of athletes, reflected Bertin.
The insertion of replay sequences of key race facts was also used in order to consistently recap what was happening to make sure that the audience could follow the race situation at any time.
Commentators had a key role to play to compensate the lack of Hamburg sights and fans shots to bring the audience even closer to the action, and they elaborated the focus on the routine the athletes observed in lockdown, or how they trained. They also shared a positive message, marking the return of sports and sports competition.
Ultimately, we can't let these COVID-related restrictions hamper our coverage. Our work is to make sure we turn this situation into a positive and find solutions to allow fans to enjoy the return of sports on their screens, concluded Bertin.
The 2020 World Triathlon World Championships and the 2020 Mixed Relay World Championships took place in Hamburg on 5-6 September 2020.
Most recent headlines
05/01/2027
Worlds first 802.15.4ab-UWB chip verified by Calterah and Rohde & Schwarz to be ...
04/08/2026
Dalet, a leading technology and service provider for media-rich organizations, t...
04/07/2026
April 7 2026, 19:00 (PDT) Detective Conan: Fallen Angel of the Highway Opens in...
01/06/2026
January 6 2026, 05:30 (PST) Dolby Sets the New Standard for Premium Entertainment at CES 2026
Throughout the week, Dolby brings to life the latest innovatio...
19/05/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
19/05/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
19/05/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
19/05/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
19/05/2026
LYNX Technik, provider of modular signal processing solutions for broadcast, post, and professional AV will showcase its latest signal processing solutions at B...
19/05/2026
Media Links, a leading developer and manufacturer of IP media transport solutions, has announced the integration of its Xscend platform with Skyline Communicat...
19/05/2026
Collaboration expands regional partner ecosystem as Media Links showcases IP media transport solutions on stand 4M4-4 and alongside Clearcast Asia on stand
Me...
19/05/2026
Company Highlights Labor-Saving Control and Custom Branding Opportunities Designed to Increase Integrator Profitability
LynTec, a leading manufacturer of ele...
19/05/2026
Mago Studio Moves AI Video Beyond Prompts with New Production-Focused Tools
Brie Clayton May 18, 2026
0 Comments
New Capabilities Bring Controllable, ...
19/05/2026
It May be Time to Stop and Take an AI Breather
Brie Clayton May 19, 2026
0 Comments
If the rock you stay on starts to roll, jump clean. Or you'll...
18/05/2026
Despite a bumpy start to the year, the provider of event-production support and ...
18/05/2026
Daktronics has partnered with the University of North Carolina to manufacture and install 11 LED displays totaling more than 10,000 square feet and more than 14...
18/05/2026
CBS LA has announced a multi-year partnership with the Los Angeles Rams, covering exclusive local broadcasts of Rams preseason games, weekly year-round programm...
18/05/2026
Skyline Communications has announced an integration between its DataMiner xOps p...
18/05/2026
eCLUTCH, the hybrid esports platform powered by iKOMG, has announced an expansion of its distribution across Europe, MENA, Africa, and Asia, along with new cont...
18/05/2026
Behind The Mic provides a roundup of recent news regarding on-air talent, includ...
18/05/2026
With 22 games this season, the production team looks forward to tweaking and enhancing the coverage
After 8,660 days off the air, the WNBA returned to NBC yest...
18/05/2026
(L-R) Midori Francis and Natalie Erika James attend the Saccharine premiere during the 2026 Sundance Film Festival at The Ray Theatre on January 22, 2026, in ...
18/05/2026
Last night, the Spotify Podcast Awards in Mexico returned to the country's capital. Now in its second year, the evening honors creators whose voices are hel...
18/05/2026
ZEN-Core synth goes mobile
Roland's powerful ZEN-Core software synthesizer has just been introduced to the iPad, offering a convenient entry point into ...
18/05/2026
Versatile new limiter plug-in announced
Based in Sheffield, UK, fedDSP offer a range of plug-ins that span the music production, live sound and high-end med...
18/05/2026
A new use for convolution?
Viiri Audio's debut plug-in aims to do something a little different with convolution processing, allowing users to adjust all...
18/05/2026
Delta Goodrem shines for SBS as more than 3.27 million Australians tune in for E...
18/05/2026
The Australian Defence Force uses L3Harris T4 and T7 robots for explosive ordnan...
18/05/2026
Continued investment across Europe and Germany is expanding local teams and improving access to stock, regional expertise, and specialist broadcast support.
CV...
18/05/2026
Agentic AI inference at one-tenth the cost per token with NVIDIA Vera Rubin NVL7...
18/05/2026
18 May 2026
Dubai and New York, May 18, 2026 - VEON Ltd. (NASDAQ: VEON), a glob...
18/05/2026
Monday 18 May 2026
Sky News offers ad-free podcasts and bonus episodes for just...
18/05/2026
Comscore March 2026 Consumer AI Chatbot Usage Rankings Show Claude Gaining Share OpenAI's ChatGPT maintains lead while Anthropic's Claude continues to c...
17/05/2026
Delta Goodrem's Eurovision Eclipse marks end of a stellar run
17 May, 2026
Media releases
Bulgaria wins Eurovision 2026
Relive every spellbinding mome...
17/05/2026
Back to All News
Oasis Premieres on Netflix June 19
Entertainment
17 May 2026
GlobalSpain
Link copied to clipboard
Summer, sunshine, the beach, parties. T...
16/05/2026
Helps to deliver a clean, balanced midrange
Developed alongside Newfangled Audio, the latest plug-in in Eventide's software collection has been designed...
16/05/2026
Brings onboard stem rendering to RANE System One
Engine DJ have just released Engine DJ 5.0, a free update for their Engine DJ OS embedded hardware and Engi...
16/05/2026
Boris FX Continuum Pairs AI Precision and Advanced Creative Controls
Jessie Electa Petrov May 16, 2026
0 Comments
The 2026.5 release adds automatic de...
16/05/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
16/05/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
16/05/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
16/05/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
15/05/2026
Seattle Sounders FC and Seattle Reign FC, in partnership with RAVE Foundation an...
15/05/2026
Dan Brumm has served as sound designer on Bluey, the Australian children's t...
15/05/2026
The Professional Audio Manufacturers Alliance (PAMA) and Shure Incorporated are accepting applications for the 6th annual Mark Brunner Professional Audio Schola...
15/05/2026
Netflix has announced an expanded NFL schedule for 2026 and beyond under a four-year partnership extension with the NFL through the 2029-30 season. Each season,...
15/05/2026
Ateme is supporting TVRI (Televisi Republik Indonesia) with a contribution and d...
15/05/2026
Concacaf has announced the launch of a new website and mobile app built on Deltatre's FORGE platform. Concacaf.com and the mobile app, available on iOS and ...
15/05/2026
Eutelsat has announced the launch of QBC Business Economic Channel by Qatar Media Corporation, broadcasting in 4K/UHD via Eutelsat's 7/8 West video neighbo...
World Triathlon Hamburg 2020: Producing an event in the COVID-19 era By SVG Staff 
