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Oracle Cloud whips up a breeze for Sydney yacht races
Fri, 15th Feb 2019
FYI, this story is more than a year old

If data can help a boat go faster, racing teams and fans alike at this year's SailGP in Sydney will get a front-row seat.

The Australian SailGP team, headed by America's Cup winner and Olympic gold medallist Tom Slingsby, will be one of six boats battling it out in Sydney Harbour today.

Those boats – supercharged F50 catamarans and athletes behind the helm – have a secret weapon. All of the boats are equipped with 1200 sensors, onboard cameras and microphones.

They will stream information-rich data from the boats directly to SailGP's onshore base at around 20 megabytes of data every 200 milliseconds, thanks to technology from Oracle Cloud.

That data will not only help teams and umpires make decisions, but it will also bring viewers closer to the action.

Coaches will analyse the data to monitor the teams' health and performance to inform strategic and tactical decisions throughout the race.

SailGP CEO and yachting legend Russell Coutts says he wants to create a dramatic live spectacle on and off the water, and he wants to push the boundaries of what is possible in the sport.

“Oracle's infrastructure, data management, analytics and security make it the perfect partner to deliver this vision, and we can't wait to see how the data will enhance the sport for fans, teams and race management.

While each F50 catamaran is identical, tactics, skill and performance will be the key to the race.

Any improvements teams can make based on the data could be the difference between winning and losing each race, or the final prize of $1 million, decided in a winner-takes-all final race.

Meanwhile, racing fans will be able to use a mobile app to access race data and information. They will be able to listen to crew interaction and receive key performance data from the boats and their crew.

Broadcasters will also be able to use the data for enhanced on-screen graphics, analytics, and video to help illustrate the racing crews' skills and give viewers a better understanding of the sport.

“SailGP is the future of sailing,” comments Oracle senior vice president and marketing officer Judy Sim.

“With Oracle Cloud instantly delivering data and information to viewers, teams and race management, the fan experience will be unrivalled, and the competition will be fierce.

Sydney SailGP kicks off today, February 15. Broadcast and streaming details are available on SailGP's website. Viewers can download the SailGP app on Apple's App Store.