Challenges for the race track

Reflecting on the most urgent developments in regatta’s, Dan Jaspers shares: “The professional side of sailing is becoming increasingly interconnected. There has historically been a tendency to treat sporting competition, event organisation, logistics, commercial programmes, communications and sustainability as largely separate functions. We believe that model is changing.” Jaspers is managing director at Pindar, a company that provides logistics support for sailing events and racing classes.

Sailing ecosystem

“Running a team in modern yacht racing has become complex. It is no longer simply about getting a boat from A to B. Teams may be moving boats, containers, support equipment, spares and vehicles between multiple countries and customs regimes over the course of a season.” Teams should organise this collectively, Jasper reckons. Likewise, event organisers should learn from each other and reflect together on the demands society sets for sporting events, as well as discover the value yacht racing events can bring to society, and society can bring to regattas. “I believe the most successful events of the future will be those that think of themselves as part of a wider ecosystem rather than simply a few days of racing.  

Sponsor exposure

Sailing circumnavigator Meghan Reilly, also entrepreneur and consultant in the marine industry, defines the most striking changes in sailing events: “The Regatta experience is still high quality on the water, however the VIP high-level hospitality experience ashore is a challenge to maintain with limited budgets and increasing operational costs. Sponsors demand more value for money. To add value to sponsors without adding to the operational expenses, media production and digital exposure are becoming more important. Media and online presence are the true growth opportunities now for Regattas to deliver for their sponsor brands and scale impact without breaking the bank.”  

Event enjoyment

“It’s about the overall experience of attending the event,” Randy Draftz agrees. Draftz is the owner of Regatta Management, helping event organisers to get the most out of regattas. His focus is on events for leisure sail race teams. “With the majority of competitors travelling to the event, this includes launch, haul-out, dockage, housing, and post-race parties. There are many moving parts for attendees to coordinate, and it’s our job to make it as easy as possible and to provide the best race management. This is a top priority for every event manager.”

Cruisers’ participation

Sail racing as a sport sees challenges, but has potential for growth, the speakers express: “Regattas have a big growth potential in involving more of the cruising community,” Reilly says. “For example: the St. Maarten Heineken Regatta’s biggest growth fleet is the “Island Time” class designed for cruisers and less competitive teams. Antigua Sailing Week has transitioned to a rally format to attract more families and non-serious racers, while still offering a structured competitive environment that tours around the island’s pristine anchorages. There is not only potential, but also a critical need to engage a wider, more diverse audience. Next Generation racing, women’s development and local public access opportunities are imperative to the sustainability of our sport.”

Give access

Accessibility is also a needed development in Jaspers’ opinion: “Accessibility is one of the biggest opportunities. This is not only about involving people with disabilities, this means making sailing more accessible in the broadest possible sense. The sport needs more obvious entry points and much clearer pathways through it. It is not enough to tell people that sailing is open to everybody. The industry has to create practical opportunities that allow people to participate. Growth should not be measured purely by the number of people sailing boats. Developing sailors, coaches, technicians, volunteers, race officials and people who want careers within the wider marine industry are all part of growing the sailing ecosystem.”

Pushing limits

Showing the sailor’s experiences and their efforts in the heat of the race has become possible with modern video and augmented reality technology. This can help attract spectator audiences, some of whom may start sailing from that inspiration. “While the technical high speed foiling content and how to actually sail these types of boats is well above the average person’s comprehension, the extreme speeds and conditions do come across very clearly,” Reilly finds. “The pure adrenaline translates well, without having to really get into technical things. Non-sailors can appreciate “survival mode” and seeing humans push limits. That makes for engaging sport for spectators. The digital assets and production that come along with these events also make it easier to grasp. While spectators might not understand why SailGP boats split the course, they understand how to follow moving targets with speedometers tracking each boat’s speed around the course. So digital overlays and data make it easier to appreciate and grasp.”  

Complexity asset

Jaspers also sees possibilities in presenting the sport to a broad audience: “People do not need to understand every rule, sail control or tactical calculation to appreciate sailing. Most spectators watching Formula 1 do not understand every aspect of aerodynamics, tyre management or power unit technology, but the sport has become extremely good at translating a highly technical competition into understandable stories. Sailing needs to get better at doing the same thing. Technology can help enormously. Tracking, graphics, onboard cameras, audio, data visualisation and good commentary can explain why one boat is gaining and another is losing without requiring the viewer to be an expert sailor. Ultimately sport is about people and stories. Who is winning? Who made the mistake? Who took the risk? Why did that tactical decision matter? What does this result mean? If sailing can answer those questions clearly for an audience, its technical complexity becomes an asset rather than a barrier.”