Editorial: There's no running and hiding in sport

Chris McAsey. Photo/ Michael Cunningham.

Out of time.

Chris McAsey dropped and began banging his head against the Team NZ rig. He had a helmet on but it still hurt.

Thankfully, his microphone was off, but the moment his heart sank to the bottom of that San Francisco water was broadcast to the millions of people watching the America's Cup.

His swearing wasn't heard but he and his team's utter disappointment was a public moment.

I've never met Chris but felt I knew just how he felt before hearing him speak at the Konica Minolta Northland Sports Awards at the ASB Stadium. On Friday night, the grinder who has returned to a normal life in Tutukaka with his children and wife Suzy, was the guest speaker to an engaged crowd at the annual awards.

Crowds of equal size would have gathered months ago, morning after morning, feeling heartbroken for the team.

There was one person watching the race who didn't just see a grinder - he saw a fellow Northlander and a hero.

Accepting one of his many awards on the night, Blair Tuke, Sportsperson of the Year for the second year running, thanked Chris for putting sailing back on the map.

Speaking via a pre-recorded Skype video, the Kerikeri yachtie told Chris how much he admired him. It was heartfelt.

At that moment, I remembered that high-profile sportspeople are regular Joes, with families - with lives. They queue in supermarkets and pay rego for their cars.

Some are heroes who despite losing a race, manage to win a victory for the sport back home.

It felt great to sit and applaud the dozens of sportspeople who stood on the stage, clutching awards and feeling proud of their 2013 victories.

It felt even better to applaud Chris McAsey. His whole performance, and that of the team, played out on the screens and in the media.

His wife, Suzy, had kindly allowed the Northern Advocate to watch races with her towards the end of the event, despite the emotional trauma that came with each race.

Most of us suffer our defeats in private and, likewise, our successes.

In sport, you wear your defeat as proudly, and publicly, as your success.

The world can come and sit in your kitchen and you're expected to be OK with it.

"What doesn't kill you makes you stronger," McAsey told the crowd.

I don't know how strong Chris was before America's Cup 2013, but the bloke's as tough as an ox now.