Episode 16: Skye Murphy, show caller for the Mountain Bike World Series & World Champs, and new mum
Imagine you’re at one of the largest sporting events in the world. There’s noise and bustle everywhere. The world’s best athletes are in action, the crowds are cheering, the commentators are relaying what’s happening, and the atmosphere is electric. Putting on a show like that takes a slick organisational team, and Great Big Events are the company who are doing just that for the Mountain Bike World Series, and the recent UCI Cycling World Championship mountain bike events which took place in Scotland in August, 2023.
Skye Murphy is a key part of that team. Hailing from Australia, she ensures that everyone is where they need to be, and doing what they need to be doing, so that everything runs smoothly and professionally. That includes everything from queuing up national anthems for flag raising to ensuring in venue speakers and emcees - like Spindrift presenter Aoife - are where they’re supposed to be at the right time.
Spindrift caught up with Skye on the last day of the World Champs to find out a little more about what her role entails, her journey into it via musical theatre, stage management and teaching, and her highlights from a season on the world with the Mountain Bike World Series.
Skye is an incredibly calm, professional and friendly person in what is an undoubtedly a challenging role, spending months on the road moving country to country, venue to venue. What’s all the more incredible is that she’s doing it with her daughter Gwen, who at the time of this interview was not quite one years old, and the support of her partner Dan.
She also shares her thoughts on how mountain bike fans compare to fans in other sports.
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Read the full transcript from this episode with Skye Murphy.
This episode was produced, edited and presented by Aoife Glass. Sound production by Francesca Turauskis and Takudzwa Mudiwa from the Tremula Network.