Online videos allow Olympic sailors to learn on the move

by Andy Rice on 28 Mar 2014 Audi Sailing Team Germany has created a comprehensive range of ‘how to’ videos for sailors to learn key racing skills whenever the time or the opportunity arises.

Part of the resources available in the STG Online Academy, the videos offer expert instruction in a variety of subjects including:

- Physical Basics
- Technology
- Strategy and Tactics
- Fitness and Physical Conditioning

It’s the first time that any national sailing team has set up such a comprehensive library of information, and not only is this section of the Online Academy available to Germany’s Olympic and national-standard sailors, it’s open to anyone with access to an internet connection and YouTube. While the videos currently exist only in German language versions, the plan is to provide English subtitles too.

Double Olympian and former European Champion in the 49er skiff, Audi Sailing Team Germany’s head of technology Marcus Baur has been one of the creators of the video content, and is now in the process of developing a platform that gather and process more advanced forms of interactive content. 'We want to encourage sailors to feedback their own knowledge and experiences that others can benefit from,' he says. 'For example, if a 470 sailor was training at the next Olympic venue in Brazil... ‘I was sailing in Rio in December 2013, we had a Force 3 blowing from the south, the waves were coming from this angle and it paid to go left on most upwind legs,’ that’s the kind of tactical information that could give our sailors an edge the next time they race in Rio. We want to build up a library of information using all kinds of multimedia which will be stored and available for users of the STG Online Academy.'

A big supporter of the concept of shared learning is Germany’s triple Olympic Champion Jochen Schuemann. 'This system is new to the sailing world, but it’s a ‘must have’,' says Schuemann, who has also won the America’s Cup twice. 'New communications tools such as we see in the STG Online Academy make a lot of sense. The Academy creates a great framework for this shared learning to take place.'

Supported by its technology partner, SAP, Audi Sailing Team Germany is exploiting all kinds of new technologies to help the country’s elite sailors find a winning edge in their quest for Olympic medals two years from now in Brazil. The Online Academy is one example of this collaboration. 'Time is ticking away,' says Stefan Lacher, Head of Technology - SAP Sponsorships. 'It’s amazing to think that this Olympic cycle is almost at the halfway stage. With the fundamental shift from classroom learning to this type of e-learning using video and other digital technologies, our sailors can consume the information whenever they have spare time in their busy schedules - on the aeroplane, in a hotel room, wherever it may be. Developing these technologies alongside Audi Sailing Team Germany is very rewarding and useful process for us, and it feeds back into the work we do with SAP’s global corporate customers in the business world.'

You can see the STG Academy video library here