Advances in Technology Transform Fleet Racing and Regatta Management

The Cup of America has clearly demonstrated it: even sailing races have entered the era of computers and the Internet.

But while in the most famous and passionate yacht race in the world only two boats compete at a time, in fleet races such as the Centomiglia del Garda and the Barcolana di Trieste, where hundreds (if not thousands, as in the case of the Barcolana) of vessels race, the situation becomes much more complicated.

Detecting the passage of buoys and arrivals (in sight), compiling rankings, checking crew formation, and applying complex formulas that consider baffling parameters like rating or P.F., which are also used to divide boats into different categories, put the organizers under unimaginable stress.

It’s obvious, therefore, that errors are always lurking, hidden behind the so-called “angle.”

This does not even consider the time required to officially publish the standings.

Technological innovations

However, there are those who are considering a definitive solution to these issues through the use of cutting-edge technologies that have already found applications in sectors beyond sports.