Janice Kershaw slams Wollongong 2022 UCI cycling event coverage

Wollongong’s exposure on the world stage has been heralded a success but one councillor was left furious at the TV coverage. Take our poll on whether the ‘Hollywood’ letters should stay.

The UCI Road World Championships have been run and won with Wollongong Council using Monday‘s meeting to hail the success of the week-long event.

Mayor Gordon Bradbery used his mayoral minute to acknowledge those instrumental to making it go off without too much of a hitch including council staff who were able to overcome “remarkable challenges” to make sure the city was presented at its best and earn “UCI Bike City” status.

The mayor described the Wollongong hosting the international event as a “significant achievement” despite it not attracting the 300,000 visitors organisers had pitched.

“I know figures quoted 300,000 visitors possibly coming to the event,” he said, citing uncertainty over international border closures and the cost of travel as potential reasons for the crowds not being as big as anticipated.

Remco Evenepoel of Belgium celebrates at finish line as race winner during the 95th UCI Road World Championships 2022, Men Elite Road Race a 266,9km race from Helensburgh to Wollongong on September 25, 2022 in Wollongong, Australia. Picture: Con Chronis/Getty Images

“But amid it all, it still happened. We can say Wollongong is a ‘can-do city’. Despite all of the concerns and challenges we made sure it could happen – it was a significant achievement.”

Deputy mayor Tania Brown, who is also the chair of Destination Wollongong, was a prominent face spruiking the championships.

“I need to thank the incredible volunteer army who all worked incredibly hard to showcase our city to the rest of the world,” Cr Brown said as she described the event as “reminiscent of the Olympics”.

Cr Brown said the event had given her “hope” the city would be able to attract other events of a similar magnitude.

Wollongong deputy mayor Tania Brown at the Championships. Picture: Wollongong City Council

However, councillors did take aim at some of the coverage of the event, or lack-thereof on terrestrial TV with limited vision shown on Nine with the entirety behind a paywall on Stan Sports.

Councillor Cath Blakey said there was an “outcry on social media” when Nine missed the end of the women’s road race, depriving viewers of Dutch rider Annemiek van Vleuten’s dramatic win in the driving rain.

Councillor Janice Kershaw said she did not have Stan Sport, but “found another way” to watch the championship.

The Labor councillor was furious with the coverage of the event, saying it left her “disgusted”.

“The local news channels should hang their heads in shame,” Cr Kershaw said.

Councillor Janice Kershaw. Picture: Supplied

“Nine, Seven and 10, and even the ABC who gave some coverage. It was absolutely disgusting.

“It’s too late now, but a rude letter from Wollongong 2022 (the championship’s organising committee) wouldn’t go astray.

“We didn‘t get anything from the state television channels, it was disgusting.”

The mayor tried to placate Cr Kershaw, finishing the discussion arguing “it might not get the coverage here, but the coverage it got around the world is what matters”.

The council staff also confirmed during the meeting a “spend map” was being developed to see where the money was circulated throughout the championships with it to be available to councillors in “the coming weeks”.

What to do with the “Wollongong letters”

One of the most popular features for spectators of UCI 2022 were 10 two-metre high pieces of white plastic spelling out “Wollongong”.

Wollongong Council hired out the letters, with the deputy mayor telling councillors the tourism pop-up that toured around the city during the event “proved to be very popular”.

Now the council has agreed to investigate whether or not to display the letters around the region on a permanent or part-time basis.

Cr Brown indicated she held a preference for the letters to be displayed at Flagstaff Hill, though she had heard suggestions of a “Hollywood style” option on top of Mt Keira or ”contributions from wags who suggested Shellharbour”.

Councillor Cameron Walters said the council should explore “more outlandish ideas” to ”get people into the city” before earmarking Stanwell Park‘s Bald Hill as a potential location.

Councillor David Brown quipped “there are many things I don’t understand and one of them is why this is as popular as they are”.

However, the review had his support with Cr David Brown of the opinion the letters should “travel around to sporting or cultural events”.

Originally published as Janice Kershaw slams Wollongong 2022 UCI cycling event coverage