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Welcome to'SOOTY PARK TV'on Channel 31
Currently heading north (maybe) to tape as many euro bike events as possible...
We proudly support the Amy Gillet foundation
$$$$ Go Sooty Park, GO! $$$$
Hello all SP’ers, (07-04-08)
This is our last transmission from Australia for a little while as SP (and Topbike Tours) head off to Europe, I don’t have the inclination to do a blog, or update our websites so if this is looking stale, I can't do a lot about it. we just don't do a lot of PC time when we are there. Racing, riding, watching bike races, eating, drinking, sleeping and chasing cycling footage seems to take up the day (and night).
Cycling on the Tele:
SP has started the 3rd series in Sydney, I thought it was kicking off this Saturday, but according to a grateful fan in Sidders it has already started, so that is good. Both Melbourne and Perth have had their runs, Brisbane is up to week (I don’t know) and Adelaide will start when Sydney sends the series to them. If you want to see Sooty Park on a national network, it’s up to you, I keep telling them how terrific we are, but it’s really up to the viewing cycling public to let them know, and prove that there is an audience for a cycling variety show. If you write to the programming managers and let them know, it will happen, it’s no good me telling them again and again how good we are, but it CAN be as simple as YOU telling them. Apparently SBS flicked Cycling Central because no one was tuning in. In it’s place we are getting live coverage of Paris-Roubaix, the Giro & Vuelta etc. (so I believe) which is pretty good. This will build interest and may eventuate in another variety show getting to air, maybe in a different format to what has been tried in the past, even. While I am at it, Glen Jacob’s downhill series, ‘Chosen Line’ made for cable tele a couple of years back, apparently aired on Channel 31 sometime recently (according to someone I spoke to this week), and a BMX show ‘Trak Attack’, (out of Sydney maybe?) screened in Melbourne while SP was running this last series, I only caught the last one of the series and it was very good, I wished I had seen more of them. I think there still may be repeats running on Saturday mornings. One day, before the end of 2012, Channel 31s will get a digital signal which will make a huge difference to our audience reach.
Next Series:
Our plans for the next series aren’t adventurous, just more of the same really. Annabella will be at this year’s Giro, a definite highlight from the last season was when we (Annabella and self) commandeered the Giro stage and did our own presentation for Sooty Park, we’ll be hoping for a lot more fun from the Giro again, not to mention interviews with Will Walker, Nick Gates, maybe Adam Hansen etc. We also hope to use 100% local authorized music in the next series which means we can (legally) sell DVDs as there are always a couple of dozen requests for this. If you want to contribute to SP, ie coverage of a local event, or anything cycling related really, send it to us on mini-DV tape, keep it to under 3 minutes and, if it’s half-reasonable (meaning being better that what we come up with week after week) we’ll probably use it. Of interest I went to a real life Roller room last Friday at the Royal Derby in Fitzroy and it was terrific (look here for the next one http://www.fyxomatosis.com/ although I can see no mention of a next one currently.)
Emma F’Olle
Sooty Park’s own Mountainbike legend, Emma F’Olle is hoping to qualify for Beijing. Unfortunately she is running 2nd for the one place, and the girl ahead of her, Dellys Starr, is riding extremely well and is also our very good friend. Emma will be riding the first 3 rounds of the World Cup circuit which kicks off on April 20 in Houffalize, Belgium, and this is the main reason we are heading to Europe a month early (well before the start of the Giro d’italia). You’ll be able to follow their progression through www.cyclingnews.com OR on Sooty Park in about 9 months…(probably 12 months in Sidders, 15 in Adelaide..etc.)
D.O. on the Radio:
For the past five years I have reported on the Tour de France with Virginia Trioli on ABC radio, and a couple of other presenters (Virginia Trioli has retired from radio for the time being). We even got a spot on the ABC’s Media Watch last August (Media Watch: The Fiscal Cycle (06/08/2007) ,due to my position as owner-operator of Topbike Tours. It’s worth a look to make up your own mind. I will contact the ABC and other radio stations again this year, to offer my services, as usual, and if you hear me, that means I’m on. Again, if you hear some cycling related stuff on the radio and you like it, let the station know, the more feedback means people are listening, and that is their interest. There is a good chance I will appear on 3RRR’s breakfasters here in Melbourne, along with ‘Run Like You Stole Something’ and RRR may even host an evening Tour de France ‘special’ show in July, but that’s top secret.
Sooty Park News 20/02/08
$ Dave & Annabella present the show from Brunetti Cafe, Faraday St, Carlton. More Jayco Herald Sun Tour footage, Geelong. Dave interviews Will Walker, at home (well, the Bay crits) Watch some poor sap racing the MTB World Masters, and get the stuffing knocked out of him…NB pre & post race interviews, Annabella interviews Mrs Phil Liggett, In the Roller Room Shelley McColl, Penny Robinson, Sarah Lausberg & Anna Wilson. ‘Don’t try this at home’ starring John Trevorrow.
$Contact Sooty Park
here to be placed on our mailing list
$ Our thanks as always to Videocraft, Total Rush, Specialized Bikes, Divella Pasta, San Benedetto drinks, Brunetti, Continental Tyres, Rudy Project & Computrainer, the show wouldn’t happen without them all. Our theme song ‘Kylie’s Arse’ is performed by the ‘Clip Clop Club’ (local Melbourne band), the music for Total Rush ads is supplied by ‘Ben Rogers Instrumental Asylum’ (another local band, with a new album out, find it here.
Sooty Park News 13/02/08
$ Dave & Annabella present the show from Brunetti Cafe, Carlton. Footage from the final '07 MTB world cup in Slovenia, a few words with Gilberto Simoni (Giro d'italia winner turned MTB'er), racing from the Jayco Bay Cycling Classic, an interview with Phil Liggett (how incredible) and in the Roller Room the Brunetti cycling team including husband & wife Fabio & Carla, Dave Coultas & Daniel Burger.
Sooty Park News 07/02/08
$ Dave & Annabella present the show from Brunetti Cafe, Carlton. Highlights from Thredbo MTB National round #3, The Topbike 'Tour de France ALPS' riders visit 'La Berarde' a town at the end of a valley in the environs of Alpe d'Huez. In the Roller Room Tim Marquadt, Simon Coffin (Total Rush), Ben James & Philip Turnbull.
$ Answers to questions I received about last week’s show:
Yes, the complete show may well have been a plug for Topbike's Tour of Sicily. Although the reality is it was the last show we had to get out (to tape) before heading up to Canberra for Emma to race the aforementioned MTB Nationals (placing 2nd) as she is respnsible for post-production, it's lucky the show got to air at all. We have now finished all episodes for this season, but for awhile there it was seriously looking like some old shows could get a re-run. And the dont EAT this at home was really 'Bull's Balls'
Sooty Park News 31/01/08
$ Dave & Annabella present the show from Via Bicicletta in Palermo (SIcily), Annabella reviews kids bikes, Annabella & Dave slack off for lunch at the Palermo markets, the Topbike Riders tour around Sicily and in particular the Aoelian island of Lipari. In the Roller Room Pauly, Frank Catena, Doug Smith & Kev Ford, 'Don't Try this at Home' is really a 'Don't EAT this at home'.
Sorry about the absence of last week’s mailout, we were in Canberra, and apparently the show was pretty good, although I haven’t seen it myself yet. Lots of Tour de France I believe…
Sooty Park News 23/01/08
$ There was no info this week, we were at MTB Nationals, Canberra. Sooty Park rider Emma F'Olle (Colson) placed 2nd in eilte women.
Sooty Park News 16/01/08
$ On the ‘odd little tv show’ this week:
$Dave & Annabella present the show from the Jayco Bay Cycling Classic, Topbike Tours ventures again to ‘La Marmotte’ the infamous ‘Grand Trophee’ event for the punters…174k with 5,000m of climbing held in the alps on the first Saturday of the Tour de France,
Emma F’Olle does a critique on the VELIB bikes, the innovative hire bike system introduced to France last year, there’s 10,000 of them spread out over Paris,
A visit to Les Deux Alpes museum where they host a tribute to cycling, and of course Le Tour,
In the Roller Room, Tim Marquadt, David Sturt, Stuart Vaughan & Ben Patrick
$Answers to questions I received about last week’s show:
Michael Waterfield and Peter Barrett were the two gents who competed in the 1957 University Games in Budapest
The big climb that I was zig-zagging up is Colle dell Agnello (Lamb hill)
I was running a shimano compact front crank 34-50 and a 12-27 rear cluster.
If you want to do that climb you’ll need to find the town of Venasca, in Italy, and head west from there, the following climb is Col d’Izoard before you descend into Briancon in the French alps (total 111k).
The website for logging your climbs there is www.rampignado.com although the English translation is a bit NQR.
Sooty Park News 09/01/08
$ On Sunday as I made my way around the Jayco Bay Cycling Classic with a camera, someone who thought they recognised me said ‘you make that odd little tv show, don’t you?’
Dave & Annabella present the show from Brunetti, Faraday St Carlton,
Dave climbs the little known but massively long ‘Col de Agnello’ from Italy to France, the biggest climb used in this year’s Giro (and it takes up about half of tonight’s show),
Commuter footage from Brescia,
Matt Keenan joins us again with some stats,
In the Roller Room, THE PACK &
Don’t Try This At Home
If you have noticed that the Sooty Park website is not up to date, you’re right, and I make no apology for this, we make an odd little tv show, nothing more
Sooty Park News 26/12/07
$Houffalize MTB world cup race, Annabella's comeback race Jayco Herald Sun Tour at Botanic gardens, Matt's stats,
Steve O'Brien reviews SRAM FORCE (honestly), In the roller room
Father-son vs Father-son, Brad & Colin Speller and David & Charlie Sturt
Sooty Park News 19/12/07
$Emma F’Olle interviews a commuter from Brescia, Italy,
Annabella takes us on a ride around the ‘Sella Ronde’ loop, in the Dolomites (Italy),
Dave reviews some local grappa on the famous climb ‘MonteGrappa’,
Matt Keenan joins us with some time-related tour stats
Steve O’Brien reviews tubeless road tyres,
Another fantastic ‘Sooty Park Product’ release
In the Roller Room, Cadel's mum, Jacqui Hickey, Stella, Jenny Hayes,
Don’t Try This At Home
Sooty Park News 12/12/07
$Nick Gates interview(s) at the Giro,
A few words with Thor Hushovd,
Annabella chats with the LAMPRE girls cheer squad,
Dave catches up with a Giro ‘swag’ fan,
Dave & Annabella shopping at the Giro store,
another interview with Will Walker,
Annabella at Giro finish with Brett Lancaster & wife,
MTB race footage from the Brescia castle race,
Another fantastic ‘Sooty Park Product’ release,
In the Roller Room we have the Frazer Family Feud and Don’t Try This At Home to finish
Sooty Park News 05/12/07
$Giro footage of festivities and a bit of racing,
Annabella interviews Will Walker,
Dave interviews Matt White, Nick Gates, and Alan Peiper,
Annabella with Giro 'leader jersey printer' man,
Sooty Park Products release the cleated UGG boots,
Roller Room w Steve O’Brien (of ‘the little bike’ fame), Tom Elliot, Matt Keenan, Kristjan Snorrason,
Don’t Try This At Home
$The Sooty Park TV crew have travelled far over winter, to
collect their european content for this summer's series. Back in Oz we are working hard to produce a new series that will feature all of the old favorites and some new segments too. Some you'll love, and some you'll love even more, 'cause that's the way we work.
$Sooty Park TV has a magazine format, featuring
cycling in all forms and disciplines, from commuters to Grand Tour
riders, with an emphasis on fashion, fun and the lighter side of
cycling. Sooty Park also hosts a return of the roller competition
that used to feature on World of Sport back in the '70s and '80s,
although the rollers are now replaced by Computrainers, with a digital
screen readout..
Here are links to Amy's
Ride (Sooty Park is a sponsor/supporter). For crit and road
racing in Melbourne check St Kilda
Cycling Club, Caulfield
Carnegie Cycling Club , Hawthorn
Cycling Club and Brunswick
Cycling Club. For MTB racing visit Fat
Tyre Flyers and for anyone else who would like their club listed
here, particularly interstate clubs, send us a note and we'll get
a designated page up.
Sooty Park News 13/02/07
We received our ratings (for January) last week and we (the Sooty
Park Six) are all very happy. In brief, our numbers are up from
last year and peaking at 81,000 viewers per week, in Melbourne (plus
all the other capitals, now!). Meanwhile, this week's show features:
$ Tassie MTB Park, National Round coverage
$ Dave interviews some young riders at Tassie
$ Dave interviews Simon Jamison, an original Aussie MTB rider
$ Dave interviews Jared Rando, a GIANT factory Downhiller
$ Annabella finally gets the mic from Dave, and interviews Rob Eva
on SRAM 'FORCE'
$ The Computrainer Roller Room….Father & son Vs Father
& son
$ and Don't Try This At Home…….
Plus we have uploaded 2 new YouTubes, one has
been on Sooty Park and one is coming up, so don't peak if you like
surprises…..
YouTube
link 4
YouTube
link 3
YouTube
link 2
YouTube
link 1
Sooty Park News 06/02/07
We are broadening the range of our show this week, adding
a bit of footage from the Hawaii Ironman and Lorne's Ananconda Adventure
race. Our show times have become quite spread out over the country
now, so all I can recommend is 'check your local guide for screening
times' (and repeats of course):
$ Triathlon, Kona Ironman……
$ The Ananconda Adventure race, Lorne
$ Annabella inteviews Clive Sefton, a CommGames cycling champ
$ Emma F'Olle interviews an Adventure racer (her brother) on his
training regime
$ The Computrainer Roller Room….the Big Boys shoot it out
$ and Don't Try This At Home…….
Sooty Park News 30/01/07
Tomorrow night's show features:
$ Nearly all of this week is featuring 'Around The Bay In A Day'……
cycling and interviews with some of the many
$ The Computrainer Roller Room….Ladies Night, and watch carefully….is
it really Abbey who DNF's?
$ and Don't Try This At Home…….
Sooty Park News 23/01/07
Tomorrow night's show features:
$ Benji sets off on his Odyssey, an around the world tour without
using fossil fuels, we discuss his bike. http://www.earthodyssey.net/
$ Bendigo MTB Marathon: Race footage and interviews.
$ Formula ONE's Mark Webber has a chat to Emma F'Olle about his
cycling
$ Sid Taberlay makes a cameo
$ The Computrainer Roller Room….
$ and Don't Try This At Home…….
Sooty Park News 16/01/2007
Tomorrow night's show features:
$ A couple of interviews about, then a ride up
the infamous 'Notre Dame' climb, in the French alps (opposite side
of valley to Alpe d'huez)
$ 'Les Deux Alps' free-raid MTB event…….(the poms go bomb
the French descents)
$ Emma & Dave review their experience in the 'free-raid'
$ The classic French cook's view on cycling & vegemite
$ The 21 turns of Alpe d'Huez
$ The Computrainer Roller Room….
$ Don't Try This At Home…….
$ and a little bit of Annabelle & Dave
Sooty Park News 09/01/2007
This week's show features:
$ A grand story on 'La Marmotte' an annual road event with 8,000
participants that finishes on top of Alpe D'Huez (you can do this
event with Topbike Tours, follow link on left of page)
$ A Belgian's tale of 'La Marmotte'
$ 'Where to Ride'……a Scotsman's tale on cycling the south
of France
$ Emma F'Olle takes us on an epic MTB ride in the French alps
$ The Computrainer Roller Room….the Girls Vs the Boys
$ and Don't Try This At Home…….
This show can also be seen at 4.30pm Thursday
and 5.30pm Saturday (Melbourne only). Perth, check your guides,
Adelaide…be patient! And if you live in Brisbane or Sydney
and want SP locally, write to your Channel 31 and let them know
there is demand out there for a cycling show. Sydney: email@tvs.org.au
and Brisbane: yourstation@briz31.tv
Sooty Park News 02/01/2007
This week's show features:
$ Interview with Tim Marquardt, amidst construction of his 'speed
bike' he finds time for a chat & demo with Sooty Park
$ Human powered vehicles (recumbents) racing at Lygon St
$ 'Where to Ride'……Mont Ventoux, Provence, France
$ Annabella Fashionista scoops an interview with 'The Baron' (Eddy
Merckx)
$ The Computrainer Roller Room….featuring SRAM's Rob Eva and
a bunch of other handsome blokes!
$ and Don't Try This At Home…….
Sooty Park News 9/11/2006
$ Sooty Park will return to Melbourne screens on Wednesday evenings
at 8.00pm, from December 6. Have you seen our latest YouTube? YouTube
link 2 (and here's our other one YouTube
link 1 )
$ If you wish to contact ‘Cycling
Sooty Park’ or join our mailing list, please email us
here
Sooty Park Press Release 10/10/2006
$ The second series of Australia's popular
cycling TV show ‘Sooty Park’ is locked in to return to
Channel 31 Melbourne during the first week of December, 2006. Meanwhile,
Series 1 is headed to Perth’s Channel 31 (Access TV) and will
show on Thursdays at 10.30 pm and Tuesdays at 1.30 pm, starting
October 5.
$ For the new series the Sooty Park producers have been busy
during the northern summer collecting lots of great footage, from
couriers in Madrid to dog-trailers on the Col du Glandon. A highlight
is the Dutch corner on l'Alpe d'Huez, the day the Tour de France
passes. The crew is still filming locally, taking in local events,
interviewing Yarra Council's cycling Mayor, and we follow the progress
of a local boy's pursuit of the land speed cycling record.
$ To be placed on the Sooty Park mailing list
email us here : david@topbike.com.au |
Program Guide: 
