Silvaplana sees the future of sailing
by Sailmon 22 Sep 2022 01:56 PDT
iQFoil World Championships in Silvaplana © Sailmon
A sailing event that can be followed live via online platforms anywhere in the world. Highly professional, broadcasted with multiple drones, fixed cameras, and expert commentary.
In addition, thanks to a tracking tool and app, participants can compare their personal analytical data with the images to analyse their races down to the smallest detail. And they can do all that in an affordable way. Does it sound like a utopia? Sailmon made it possible at the last iQFoil World Championships in Silvaplana.
"It was wonderful to see these young people, who are the future of sailing, embracing the technological future of sailing," says Sailmon CEO Kim Coster. Thanks to the involvement of Sailmon, every mile on the water has been recorded and archived. To be watched, relived and reviewed.
"Our company is characterized by water sports innovation," explains Sailmon's CEO Kim Coster. "Our mission is to make sailing less analogue for the participants, coaches and fans. It should be more fun and challenging for everybody! In recent years, we have been developing innovations - along with our instruments for bigger boats - that help to achieve that goal: the Sailmon App (software) and the MAX mini tracker (hardware). Silvaplana was an excellent opportunity to apply these innovations on this scale. It combined an organization and class open to innovation and technological input with a company that can provide that innovation in an affordable and scalable way."
Thus, at the start of every race day, dozens of enthusiastic participants were at the Sailmon tent to pick up their mini-tracker to ensure they would have an analytical debriefing in the Sailmon sailing app after the race. The performances on the water, based on accurate data guaranteed by high-quality (GPS) sensors, are automatically sent to the online platform and bundled in an event. This allows each competitor to analyse their performance individually but also compare it with the rest of the fleet. While the action on the water is difficult to follow due to the high speeds and the large number of participants, the app gives a clear picture of what exactly happened based on a graph and map, including automatically generated leaderboards with the overall ranking, top speed, and the number of covered metres - divided into legs.
The best news? It doesn't end with raw data. The races are recorded by fast-flying drones (also for broadcasting, more on that later). These spectacular images were imported and automatically synchronized with the data by the app. The picture is thus crystal-clear and complete. Participants can analyse their performance based on spectacular images and precise data. Why was I going faster than the rest at that moment? What happened during that crash? And why did I blow up in the last 30 metres to the finish? Answers to those questions can be found once and for all in the Sailmon App.
"We believe that capturing and sharing your performance makes you a better sailor," Kim explains. "Nobody gets inspired by untold stories. No one gets challenged by unrecorded performances. The days of expensive systems, complicated CSV files and incomprehensible visuals are over. The MAX mini and the Sailmon App turn the complex sport of sailing into a simple language that is understandable and affordable for everyone. Those who use these innovations to learn from their mistakes eventually reap the benefits. It is an indispensable tool for anyone who wants to get better. There is a reason we say: winners sail with us."
Not only do the participants and coaches on the side-lines benefit from Sailmon's work, friends, family and fans from all over the world also witness the spectacle of foiling. The presence of the cameras, drones and expert commentary made live broadcasting a relatively easy one-two punch. All in all, it was a successful event on the lovely Swiss lake.
"It was wonderful to see these young people, who are the future of sailing, embracing the technological future of sailing. We are therefore looking forward to new collaborations with more organizations. The Sailmon App can mean much more, such as simplifying registrations, keeping participants informed via notifications, etc. But for anyone who doesn't want to wait for his or her sailing class: the MAX mini is ready to order to improve your performance and to stay on top of the competition."