Formula 1’s pour decisions
“Although I can’t explain to Nola Tucker why champagne is wantonly sprayed to celebrate sporting victories (C8), I totally endorse it,” declares Col Burns of Lugarno. “Having a vulgar, unsophisticated palate that favours beer to overpriced fizzy grape juice, I find any alternative to actually drinking it preferable. Nevertheless, if imbibing is absolutely necessary, recent victors have demonstrated that the flavour can be considerably enhanced by infusing it with the rich, fruity aromas of freshly worn footwear.”
The ungrafted Ron Schaffer of Bellevue Hill provides the antecedent: “Champagne celebrations in sport were introduced in the 1930s, when champagne merchant Count Frederic Chandon offered bottles to winners of the French Formula 1 Grand Prix. These events were held on the famous Reims circuit in the Champagne district. More recently, however, US driver Dan Gurney invented champagne-spraying on the victory podium at Le Mans in 1967 when he intentionally sprayed onlookers, thus beginning the tradition that has since spread to other sports.”
George Manojlovic of Mangerton sees a more maternal side to it: “The champagne sprayers are simply saying goodbye to their Mumms.”
There’s been a bit of a common denominator, venue-wise, regarding the recent chance-meeting thread (C8). John Brown of Kianga conducts proceedings: “What is it about the City Recital Hall? We were at a Brandenburg Noel concert and my wife met one of her nursing colleagues, whom she hadn’t seen for a number of years. We had a lovely dinner with her.”
“Downstairs at the Belvoir always offered interesting opportunities,” says Janice Creenaune of Austinmer. “I remember seeing Bryan Brown (he stole the show, so I don’t remember any other actors) in the wonderful play Backyard in the late ’70s with my girlfriend from Sydney Uni. We, too, had a front-row seat (C8) with our feet on the ‘stage’. As Mr Brown rode his bicycle around the stage area, he took a wider arc each time. By mid-show we were ‘sitting’ with our feet and knees tucked up beneath our chins and holding on for the experience. He had that glint in his eyes even then, and we were his targets.”
The Woof family tree (C8) has brought out the doggerel in Alan Marel of North Curl Curl:
Jim Dewar of Davistown’s right,
It’s time to put Woofs out of sight.
Whether short-haired or hairy,
Neither one’s scary
As their bark is much worse than their bite.
Column8@smh.com.au
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