Flight Centre Travel Group’s Stage and Screen reveals the gold-medal travel strategies for Australia’s Paris-bound athletes
The gold-medal travel strategies for Australia’s Paris-bound athletes.
With the Paris Games being this year’s biggest global event – one that requires detailed planning, high-stakes logistics, and seamless coordination – travel managers are the unsung heroes of getting thousands of people there in top form, as well as their equipment and support teams.
We have been helping Australia’s top swimmers prepare for gold through meticulous travel management and quick problem-solving for their athletes, support teams, equipment and the media.
We have been managing Swimming Australia’s travel since 2020 and have organised travel for the Australian Swimming Championships in April and The Australian Swimming Trials in June. The team has been preparing for the Games’ swimming heats, semi-finals and finals, which launched on Saturday, July 27 and will conclude on Sunday, August 4.
The 44 Dolphins have made history when they mounted the starting blocks at La Defense Arena in Paris, the very city where Frederick Lane helped Australia collect its first swimming Olympic gold medal in 1900. Since then, hundreds of swimmers have followed in his wake to add 221 medals to the Games bank.
This year, Swimming Australia is bringing a star-studded team that includes Ariarne Titmus, Kaylee McKeown and Cam McEvoy, the country’s incredible run looks set to continue with every athlete spending years working towards this moment.
While the Australian Olympic Committee (AOC) is responsible for moving athletes to and from the Games itself, we know well what’s involved in transporting athletes, their support teams, equipment and the media. It’s a vital job that’s meant more than a few lightning-fast pivots and some medal-winning problem-solving skills, alongside the facilitation of flight and hotel bookings. And that’s because in the game of high-stakes logistics and travel management, one false move or one missed flight can spell disaster, says Stage and Screen General Manager, Adam Moon.
“Getting athletes, their equipment and support crews to the track, field, rink, or pool requires an orchestra that operates behind the curtains no matter if it’s an international event like the Games or a national tournament,” he said.
“For Stage and Screen, that role is a gold-medal winning travel strategy that brings teams from across the country together to land in Paris on time, in the right place, just as planned.”
Richard McInnes from the Australian Sporting Commission agrees that travel managers are the unsung hero of getting thousands of people to an Olympics in tip top shape, and says later this month, up to 10,500 athletes and support staff will descend on the French capital.
“Managing the timing of flights, adjusting to different time zones and optimising the time on the ground can be very stressful. Even if everything goes smoothly, travel is stressful,” says Richard.
“If something goes wrong, like lost luggage, it can be disastrous for athletes who rely on bespoke equipment. The mental state of athletes is crucial for peak performance. And this is where travel management companies play a vital role in keeping their focus intact and minimising disruptions that could cost them a gold medal.”
For Swimming Australia, minimum disruption to their athletes has indeed been key before the Dolphins take to the blocks, which they say means locking down the preferred venue for staging camps.
“This means we always set the training schedules first,” says Jodie Hawkins, Executive General Manager Commercial of Swimming Australia.
“We then work with Stage and Screen on the best accommodation nearby and finalise travel dates and flight details after this. Travel, for us, is about acclimatising to the time zone in which we will compete and get a good training block in before we start. They hold our group reservations, negotiate improved deals with certain providers, facilitate last minute changes, research what suits based on their knowledge and our briefing.”
It’s a role in the travel strategy orchestra that Swimming Australia says is crucial to its athletes’ success.
“Athletes and coaches are habitual people, they like routine and appreciate schedules that are closely followed. Making our travel as short as possible to destinations as well as making sure that things run smoothly is so important. This means our teams arrive ready to focus on training and competition with minimal disruption and in the right frame of mind,” Ms Hawkins said.
Mr Moon adds: “Travel management companies play one of the biggest supporting roles in getting corporates, media, athletes and crews to a quadrennial event such as the Games, and given the size and excitement surrounding Paris, this month is set to be a record breaker.
“With the Tokyo Games being a closed affair due to the pandemic, we expect record-setting spectators to attend and all eyes to be on the French capital. This makes our role even more important this year and we’re proud to be doing our part to help our athletes shine on the stage.”
The Dolphins’ top 8 tactics that keeps them ‘race ready’ when travelling:
- Pre-flight stretching: Stretching and exercising before a flight to minimise fatigue.
- Compression gear: Changing into compression socks or leggings before boarding.
- Adaptability: Being adaptable to flight delays and transportation disruptions that are not in their control.
- Movement on the plane: Walking a few laps of the cabin every 30 minutes, stretching gently, and being aware of posture. Using pillows or props to support joints.
- Resting on the plane: Choosing sleep times to adjust quickly to the destination’s time zone. Using eye masks, noise-cancelling headphones or ear plugs, neck pillows, and minimising light exposure to improve sleep quality.
- Adjusting the body clock: Following a post-travel jetlag protocol, establishing a regular nighttime sleep routine on arrival, use short naps wisely, and staying awake during the day with natural light, light activity, and avoiding caffeine in the afternoon and evening.
- Food and hydration: Getting into a normal meal pattern on arrival. Using carbohydrate meals to aid nighttime sleep, avoiding stimulants like caffeine after 12pm for the first three days, and not going to bed overhydrated.
- Arrival routine: Trying to sleep close to a normal bedtime to adjust to the new time zone. If arriving in the evening, staying out in sunlight and staying awake until bedtime in the new destination.
