The British Gravel Racing Championships took place in Dalby Forest, North Yorkshire – a breathtaking backdrop but a technically challenging location for live broadcasting. With limited mobile coverage, dense woodland, and a sprawling racecourse, ensuring a stable stream was far from straightforward.
Stream7 was brought on board to design and deliver a live broadcast solution that could meet these demands. Working in partnership with 4SEASONCOLLECTIVE, and bringing in our trusted colleagues at Video Village for the outside broadcast (OB) truck, we created a production plan that turned a forest clearing into a fully operational broadcast hub.
Our priority was connectivity. Before race day, we carried out extensive site visits and testing, mapping the course and trialling different options to ensure we could reliably capture and transmit drone footage from even the most remote parts of the forest. Working closely with Dejero, we engineered a bonded cellular networking system dedicated to delivering those aerial feeds, supported by Starlink satellite internet to boost overall bandwidth.
Alongside the live drone coverage, riders captured on-bike footage throughout the race, which was integrated with the drone shots, commentary, and advert breaks to create a continuous and engaging broadcast. This setup allowed us to combine multiple sources of content into a seamless stream that gave viewers a complete view of the action from across the course.
On race day, connectivity was just the start. The championships demanded dynamic coverage, blending different perspectives to give viewers a sense of the race’s scale and intensity.
Drones captured sweeping aerial shots of riders tackling the gravel trails.
Motorbike videographers provided up-close action as they followed the race through the forest.
An on-site studio anchored the broadcast, delivering live commentary and analysis.
Pre-recorded adverts and inserts gave the production the feel of a professional television broadcast.
All feeds were transmitted back to the start/finish line, where the Video Village OB truck became the central hub of operations. Inside, our technical team cut between inputs in real time, managing everything from camera feeds to adverts, commentary to timing graphics. The result was a seamless stream that captured the excitement and unpredictability of gravel racing in full.
One of the project’s greatest achievements was delivering a continuous nine-hour live stream to YouTube. Despite the remote environment and the complexity of the operation, the stream remained uninterrupted from start to finish. Careful planning, a resilient technical setup, and constant communication between the on-course crew and the OB truck team kept everything running smoothly.
The broadcast not only showcased the riders but also gave fans worldwide a front-row seat to the entire championship – every climb, sprint, and decisive move. You can rewatch the full stream here: British Gravel Racing Championships Live Stream.
This project exemplified Stream7’s collaborative approach. From early site visits and testing with Dejero, to production planning alongside 4SEASONCOLLECTIVE, to real-time technical delivery in the OB truck with Video Village, it was a true partnership effort.
By combining specialist expertise in connectivity, broadcast production, and live event coverage, we were able to overcome the challenges of the location and deliver a professional, broadcast-quality stream that rivalled televised cycling coverage.
The British Gravel Racing Championships demonstrated how, with the right planning and partnerships, even the most remote environments can be transformed into global broadcast platforms.
Whether you’re planning a sporting event in a forest, a festival in a field, or a conference spanning multiple countries, Stream7 has the experience, partners, and technical expertise to bring it live to audiences everywhere.
