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With a track record of hosting major events and with strong links to the maritime and marine sectors, Gunwharf Quays in the UK waterfront city of Portsmouth will host the Clipper 2023-24 Race Start and Finish. Portsmouth is home to the Royal Navy, a key part of the Solent Freeport, and a growing cruise destination, making the city the perfect backdrop for Race Start and Finish.

Gunwharf Quays has partnered with the Clipper Race , becoming its Race Start and Finish Host Port, with civic support from Portsmouth City Council. This is only the second time that Portsmouth has featured on the Clipper Race route (the last time was in 2000) and is set to be the biggest race finish program in Clipper Race history, with a full entertainment program, community and business events to celebrate the finish of the epic circumnavigation and engage with the local community.

Gunwharf Quays is home to brilliant waterside shopping, eating and drinking, with a range of eateries from classic British pubs to worldwide cuisine to enjoy with a view of the sea. What’s more, visitors can explore Portsmouth’s maritime history through the National Museum of the Royal Navy, and take in incredible views across the city and Solent from the top of the famous Spinnaker Tower whilst exploring everything this iconic British city has to offer.

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She went around the world in 235 days to win sailing's most grueling competition

Scott Neuman

South African sailor Kirsten Neuschafer beat 15 rivals in the 2022 Golden Globe Race, a grueling, nonstop, round-the-world sailing competition. She is the first woman in the race's history to have taken first place. Kirsten Neuschafer/GGR2022 hide caption

South African sailor Kirsten Neuschafer beat 15 rivals in the 2022 Golden Globe Race, a grueling, nonstop, round-the-world sailing competition. She is the first woman in the race's history to have taken first place.

After 235 days alone at sea in a tiny fiberglass boat, South African Kirsten Neuschafer sailed to victory on Thursday in the 2022 Golden Globe nonstop, round-the-world race, crossing the finish line a day ahead of her closest rival.

In sharp contrast to the rough conditions she experienced during much of her voyage, Neuschafer, aboard her 36-foot Minnehaha, spent the last few hours with almost no wind, inching into the same harbor at Les Sables-d'Olonne, France, that she and 15 competitors departed on Sept. 4.

This race is a nonstop sail around the world. Cassette tapes are allowed, but no GPS

All but three of those entrants were subsequently forced out of the grueling race, regarded by many as the most challenging competition the sailing world has to offer. One boat sank in the Indian Ocean, with Neuschafer sailing to the skipper's rescue. Several others lost their masts or experienced other problems.

The Golden Globe is a unique race in which participants are not allowed to use most modern electronics to find their position at sea, relying instead on celestial navigation. It is a reboot of a famous 1968 race that resulted in the first nonstop, unassisted circumnavigation — a feat so rare that even today, more people have gone into space. The race was revived in 2018, and Neuschafer is now the first woman to win.

"I knew before I started that a large aspect of this race is luck and a large aspect is preparation," Neuschafer told NPR by satellite phone in February as she was about to round Cape Horn, where she faced 55 mile-per-hour winds and seas of 25 feet.

"The single-handed aspect was the one that drew me," she said of her decision to enter the race. "I really like the aspect of sailing by celestial navigation, sailing old school."

Neuschafer's closest rival, Abhilash Tomy, an Indian navy commander, is about a day behind her. Another competitor, Austrian sailor Michael Guggenberger, is not expected to finish for several more days.

Yachting World

• Digital Edition

The Ocean Race – Everything you need to know

The crewed around the world race with stopovers has always been one of yachting’s premier ocean races and, after several delays this latest edition is set to start on 15 January 2023.

The race organisers are also running a new event designed to showcase top-flight, fully-crewed, competitive offshore racing based around northern Europe: the Ocean Race Europe.

The Ocean Race is scheduled to run every four years, with the Ocean Race Europe also planned to take place every four years, essentially allowing competition between the teams to take place every two years in one form or another.

It’s unusual for IMOCA 60s to race with more than two crew onboard.

What boats compete in The Ocean Race?

For the first time ever IMOCA 60s will be taking part in a fully crewed round the world race this year, with several teams set to take part.

The IMOCA 60 class has long been at the forefront of ocean racing and is used for the solo non-stop round the world epic, the Vendée Globe as well as a number of other premiere short handed ocean events such as the Route du Rhum and Transat Jaques Vabre .

However, the IMOCA 60s have always been designed and built with single and double handed racing in mind, so teams competing will have had to make significant changes to their semi-foiling 60 footers to make them capable of sailing with a full crew.

The IMOCAs are sailed by a complement of five crew, including an onboard reporter (OBR) that takes no part in the sailing. Each IMOCA 60 team has to include at least one female sailor.

VO65s no longer go for a third lap of the planet. Photo: Robin Christol

What is The Ocean Race Sprint Cup?

Initially the intention was for two fleets to take part in The Ocean Race proper with the second fleet consisting on the one design VO65 boats used in the last edition of the Volvo Ocean Race.

However, plans have since changed and while the IMOCA 60s will complete a full lap of the planet, including seven legs to finish in Genoa, Italy, the VO65s will sail just the first and last two legs in what the organisers have called The Ocean Race VO65 Sprint Cup .

A new trophy will be awarded to the VO65 team which accumulates the best score across three legs of the race; Alicante, Spain, to Cape Verde; Aarhus, Denmark, to The Hague, the Netherlands; and The Hague to the overall finish in Genoa, Italy.

What is The Ocean Race course?

The course for The Ocean Race has a new first stopover mid-Atlantic at the Cape Verdes, before an extra long Southern Ocean leg of 12,750 miles from Cape Town, South Africa, to Itajai, Brazil. This new stage passes south of all three Great Capes and is expected to take 34 days.

After this mammoth Southern Ocean leg, the fleet then moves onto a series of much shorter legs. From Brazil they head to Newport, USA. They then cross the Atlantic to Aarhus, DEN. After that a very short hop from Aarhus to The Hague, NED fore a race from The Hague back to Genova, ITA.

The Ocean Race: Was the latest edition a success?

• September 4, 2023

In the sweltering heat of midsummer in the Ligurian Sea, temperatures and tensions were steadily rising on board 11th Hour Racing. Simon ‘Si Fi’ Fisher restlessly tidied lines in the…

11th Hour Racing declared winners of The Ocean Race after redress

• June 29, 2023

Charlie Enright’s 11th Hour Racing Team has won The Ocean Race after a jury awarded them redress of 4 points in the final leg of the round the world race,…

The Ocean Race overall win down to jury decision after huge collision

• June 19, 2023

The overall winner of The Ocean Race is likely to be decided in the protest room after a huge collision between 11th Hour Racing and Guyot-environnement – Team Europe shortly after…

Pro sailors on their Southern Ocean experience

• June 1, 2023

“I’m so happy not to be alone,” an emotional Boris Herrmann said standing at the base of his 29m/95ft mast, a foot-long gash ripped into the carbon above his head…

640.9 miles in 24hrs: Holcim-PRB smashes monohull record

• May 26, 2023

Kevin Escoffier’s IMOCA Holcim-PRB, competing in the The Ocean Race, has annihilated the 24-hour monohull sailing record by covering an incredible 640.9 miles on the fifth leg from Newport to Aarhus. This…

GUYOT environnement – Team Europe dismasted in The Ocean Race

• May 9, 2023

Early this morning, Tuesday 9 May 2023, organisers of The Ocean Race have reported that GUYOT environnement – Team Europe has dismasted as the fleet race towards the finish of…

Crew changes aplenty as teams prepare for The Ocean Race leg 4

• April 21, 2023

Crew rotation is proving to be a big feature in this edition of The Ocean Race and once again the crews are being mixed up on all boats as the…

Team Malizia wins longest ever Ocean Race leg

• April 2, 2023

Boris Herrmann‘s Team Malizia has won Leg 3 of The Ocean Race from Cape Town to Itajai, the longest ever ocean stage in the crewed around the world race. Herrmann,…

The Ocean Race: is racing under autopilot ‘cheating’?

• March 13, 2023

That’s not racing. It’s cheating. If you’re going to use the autopilot to sail around the world you might as well simply control the boat by remote control from home.”…

Fastest IMOCA record: 595 miles in 24 hours for The Ocean Race leaders

• March 12, 2023

Kevin Escoffier’s Holcim-PRB, the dominant leader of The Ocean Race, has set a new 24-hour IMOCA record by covering a breath-taking 595.26 nautical miles (1102 kms) over Saturday 11-Sunday 12…

‘Demolition Derby’ begins in Leg 3 of The Ocean Race

• March 2, 2023

Leg 3 of The Ocean Race was always expected to be an punishing test for the five IMOCAs and their crews, but it’s been a particularly tough start for the teams…

Wild start to leg 3 of The Ocean Race

• February 27, 2023

It was an extraordinary ‘stop-go’ type of start to Leg 3 of The Ocean Race in Table Bay as the five-boat IMOCA 60 fleet set out on their 12,750 nautical…

How to follow The Ocean Race Leg 3 (and why you should)

• February 24, 2023

This weekend five crewed IMOCA 60s will take to the startline for the third leg of The Ocean Race, on a month-long epic which is likely to be the toughest…

Holcim – PRB win nail biting leg 2 in The Ocean Race

• February 13, 2023

Skipper Kevin Escoffier and his Team Holcim – PRB have won Leg 2 of The Ocean Race from Cabo Verde to Cape Town after a tense battle through the final…

The Ocean Race: 11th Hour Racing into the lead

• February 6, 2023

After an extended doldrums crossing and a larger than usual St Helena high forcing the fleet way to the west of the Atlantic The Ocean Race fleet are finally back…

All about the doldrums or Inter Tropical Convergence Zone

• January 31, 2023

Doldrums’: a state of stagnation or depression, or an equatorial region of the Atlantic Ocean with calms, sudden storms, and light unpredictable winds. Or so my dictionary puts it. For…

The Ocean Race: Leg underway in very light winds

• January 26, 2023

The second leg of The Ocean Race from Cabo Verde to Cape Town started on Wednesday 25 January, with the 5 fully-crewed IMOCA 60s fighting it out in very light…

The Ocean Race: All set for leg two

• January 25, 2023

With the first leg of the much-delayed The Ocean Race now concluded, teams are readying themselves to set off on the second leg of of the race, which starts today,…

The Ocean Race: Holcim-PRB win Leg One

• January 23, 2023

French skipper Kevin Escoffier led his Swiss-flagged Team Holcim-PRB to victory in leg one of The Ocean Race in the early hours of the morning on Saturday 21 January 2023.…

Baptism of fire for The Ocean Race crews as fleet starts from Alicante

• January 15, 2023

The Ocean Race start, the latest iteration of the crewed multi-stage around the world race, set off today from Alicante, Spain. But the 11 crews – five IMOCA teams, six…

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2023 Ocean Globe Race set to be the World's biggest ever

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Yachting Monthly

• Digital edition

Maiden’s all-female crew win the Ocean Globe Race

• Heather Prentice
• April 22, 2024

Heather Thomas and her all-women crew aboard Tracy Edwards’ famous 58ft yacht Maiden have won the 2023-4 Ocean Globe Race!

Maiden has beaten 14 teams to win the Ocean Globe Race on IRC handicap, becoming the first ever all-women crew to win an around-the-world yacht race, it was confirmed early on Monday 22 April 2024.

The international all-female crew crossed the finish line at the Royal Yacht Squadron, Cowes at 1052 UTC on 16 April, having sailed 6599 miles from Punta del Este on Leg 4 of the Ocean Globe Race.

Their only rival for IRC handicap honours, the French Swan 53 Triana skippered by Jean d’Arthuys, failed to meet their 0500 deadline to cross the Royal Yacht Squadron line off Cowes.

Frustratingly for the French crew, Triana was becalmed off Lands End at 0400 today, still with 183 miles to run to the Royal Yacht Squadron finish line off Cowes.

Maiden sweeps up the Solent to victory

‘It’s very exciting to be the first all-female crew to win an around the world race. It’s a historic moment,’ said Maiden skipper Heather Thomas. ‘The girls have worked really hard for it and we’re very proud of our achievement. We have the best crew and the best boat so what can I say!’

Ocean Globe Race founder Don McIntyre added: ‘What an absolutely stunning victory for skipper Heather and this eclectic mix of international girls and skills onboard Maiden . Wow!

‘They have embraced this OGR adventure at every level, performing on the water, facing completely unknown Southern Ocean challenges with courage and determination and representing their cause like real champions.’

Thomas and her crew enjoyed sleigh-ride conditions all the way from the Azores to the finish on Tuesday, completing the 27,000 mile race via the three great capes in 153 days.

Triana still in the running

At that time, Triana still had a chance to pip Maiden to the trophy. Still some 850 miles behind, the French had to average more than 6 knots over this final stage – they were then speeding along at 6.8 knots before a southwesterly gale.

But then the winds changed completely, leaving Triana becalmed south of Lands End.

It means that Thomas and her crew have finished one up even on Tracy Edwards MBE, whose all-women crew returned as national heroes 34 years ago aboard the same yacht.

Tracy Edwards took 2nd in class aboard Maiden in the 1989-90 Whitbread after winning two legs of the notoriously difficult round-the-world race. She was awarded Yachtsman of the Year for her part in the race, the first woman to be awarded the title.

The Ocean Globe Race race marks the 50th anniversary of the first Whitbread Race back in 1973-4.

Tracy Edwards (5th from right) introducing Sarah, Duchess of York and Princess Haya bint Al Hussein of Jordan and her children Jalila and Zayed to Heather Thomas and the Maiden crew

Royal reception for Ocean Globe Race winners

Heather Thomas and the Maiden crew led a parade of sail from Cowes to Southampton to Ocean Village on Saturday where they were greeted by Sarah, Duchess of York, who christened Maiden in 1988.

Princess Haya bint Al Hussein of Jordan and her children Jalila and Zayed were also on the pontoon to greet the Maiden crew. Tracy Edwards was supported by King Hussein of Jordan and Royal Jordanian Airways in her 1989 Whitbread campaign.

Heather Thomas, aged 27 and the youngest skipper by 13 years, and her crew have put up a remarkable performance, always ranking in the top half of this 16-strong fleet. They finished 3rd on Leg 1 from Cowes to Cape Town, 4th on Leg 2 to Auckland and 2nd around Cape Horn to Punta del Este.

This last 6,700 mile leg back to Cowes  proved to be their toughest test. Maiden’s engine failed soon after the start, then their water maker broke down – needed to re-hydrate all their freeze dried food – and then their inverter burned out.

Mercifully, the weather came to their aid providing plenty of rain showers for them to collect water in buckets.

Tracey Edwards, skipper of Maiden in the 1990 Whitbread race, greets 2024 skipper Heather Thomas in an emotional welcome

Tracy Edwards welcomes Maiden

Tracy Edwards was there at the finish to meet Maiden . Wiping away tears of joy, she enthused, ‘I’m delighted for the girls. It’s been a tough last leg with these winds. Of course it brings back memories. I know how they are feeling and I’m so proud of what they have achieved.’

For Tracy at least, Saturday’s return to Ocean Village was a public opportunity to thank Sarah Duchess of York who had been ‘Godmother’ to the Maiden team during the 1989-90 Whitbread Race for her continued support.

Sailing with a mission

There were memories too for the support the late King Hussein of Jordan. Princess Haya, who was 12 at the time and sponsored Maiden ’s refit for this race, was able to explain to her children the importance of this project in raising funds that have empowered so many girls’ education projects around the world.

Several yachts are still racing. Triana, Galiana With Secure, Evrika and White Shadow have yet to cross the line at Cowes. They are expected to finish line in the next few days.

Follow the race on: https://oceangloberace.com/livetracker/

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Latest News: 2023 McIntyre Ocean Globe Prize giving!

days hrs mins secs

MAIDEN WINS McINTYRE OCEAN GLOBE

Maiden Triumphant Taking IRC Gold in McIntyre Ocean Globe Race Maiden ’s Win is official!

• Maiden UK (03) has won the McIntyre Ocean Globe Race taking first in IRC rankings and the first ever all-women crew to win an around the world yacht race!
• The international all-female crew crossed the Royal Yacht Squadron, Cowes finish line at 10:52 UTC, 16th April having sailed 6599 nm from Punta del Este on leg 4 of the OGR. 
• Their closest rival for IRC Overall title Triana FR (66) needed to finish by the morning of the 22nd  – but is now facing headwinds 150 nm from Cowes with an ETA of 17:00 Tuesday 23rd. Maiden ’s win is now official!

Maiden UK (03) has won the McIntyre Ocean Globe Race taking first in IRC handicap rankings against a 14 strong fleet of very experienced and committed sailors. They have also been written into the history books as the first ever all-women crew to win an around the world yacht race.

The former Whitbread yacht, sailed by an all-female international crew has taken the coveted title after 153d 2h 16m 53s of racing around the world. Virtually none of the crew had previously faced such an epic challenge and only one had sailed in the Southern Ocean before. 

They crossed the Royal Yacht Squadron, Cowes finish line at 10:52 UTC, 16th April, in a haze of excitement having sailed 6599 nm from Punta del Este on leg 4 of the OGR, making it look easy, when all knew it was not. 

It has been a tense wait for the girls over the past few days to watch if second placed entrant on IRC, French yacht Triana , could reach the finish line early enough to beat them on handicap, but that is now impossible. 

The crew has won fans worldwide and have impressed with their dedication to spreading their message of education for all women, their consistent work ethic and their unquestionable skills on the water. They’ve faced squalls, broken watermakers forcing them to collect rainwater, blown spinnakers and unraveling Abba cassette tapes. They’ve crossed the equator twice, taking in the three Great Capes including Cape Horn . Maiden now returns to her Southampton home waters ready for retirement in as good a shape as the day she left 218 previously. All this was done in the spirit of the McIntyre OGR, sailing like it’s 1973. 

Skipper Heather Thomas , the youngest skipper in the fleet, spoke of her pride in taking first place. 

It’s very exciting to be the first all-female crew to win an around the world race. It’s a historic moment. The girls have worked really hard for it and we’re very proud of our achievement. We have the best crew and the best boat so what can I say! To those we raced against it’s been a pleasure to get to know them and we’re going to miss them. It’s been an incredible first OGR and I hope the ones that follow are as good. Maiden won’t do the next one, but I will.  Heather Thomas, skipper of Maiden.

Heather has said from race start they were “in it to win it” , something they achieved while consistently ranking in the top half of the fleet. In Leg 1 they came in third in line honours and IRC. In Leg 2, fourth in both line honours and IRC and Leg 3, Auckland to Punta del Este , second in line honours and 4th in IRC. 

She speaks very highly of her talented crew, hailing from the UK, Antigua, USA, South Africa, France and Afghanistan. Heather describes being a tight-knit team, with first mate Rachel Burgess , as one of Maiden ’s main strengths.

We work together so well. Everyone brings something to the team, without this we wouldn’t achieve what we do.    Heather Thomas, skipper of Maiden.

Don McIntyre , OGR Founder, speaks about his delight at the Maiden success. 

Every one of the 220 sailors who have sailed, or who are still sailing today in this OGR has a story and did it for special reasons. Now their lives will be changed forever, none more so than the crew of Maiden with this beautiful and historic win against some very serious teams. This OCEAN GLOBE RACE is a story about humans recreating the early Whitbread races and for the first time in 30 years, giving ordinary sailors a chance to race around the world in classic yachts. To see Maiden recreate their glorious Whitbread history and WIN the OGR is and will always be an inspiration to many. BRAVO indeed!!    What an absolutely stunning victory for skipper Heather and this eclectic mix of international girls and skills onboard Maiden . Wow!  They have embraced this OGR adventure at every level, performing on the water, facing completely unknown Southern Ocean challenges with courage and determination and representing their cause like real champions – In ports they were the perfect ambassadors for life, embracing every day and every minute with true passion. We loved them!  Don McIntyre, OGR Founder

It’s fitting that Maiden should take the McIntyre Ocean Globe-winning title with her poignant Whitbread history. Designed by Bruce Farr , the 58-foot aluminum hulled yacht came fourth in the 1981-82 Whitbread, known then as Disque D’Or 3 . She was then renamed Stabilo Boss for the 1986-87 BOC single-handed challenge coming seventh. In 1987 she was bought by Tracy Edwards MBE , who made headlines in the 1989 Whitbread skippering the iconic yacht around the world with an all-female crew. 

The final prize giving and presentation of the McIntyre Ocean Globe Race winners trophy, hosted by Translated 9 , will be in Rome Italy on the 21st June 2024 . There are currently seven McIntyre OGR entrants still racing toward the finish line.    

Don McIntyre OGR Chairman and Founder

Don McIntyre is the founder and underwriter of the goldengloberace.com the oceangloberace.com and the minigloberace.com . Follow him at mcintyreadventure.com .

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New Zealand’s Thrilling Win Gets the America’s Cup Off to a Rip-Roaring Start

The America’s Cup, after years of talking and months of practicing, is officially on.

Emirates Team New Zealand (ETNZ), the defenders of the last America’s Cup , claimed victory yesterday in the opening round robin of the Louis Vuitton Preliminary Regatta, with Luna Rossa Prada Pirelli claiming second place in Barcelona. The results are a repeat of the 2021 Cup in New Zealand, when New Zealand claimed victory over the Italians.

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The match race between the two teams in yesterday’s finals was arguably the best during the four-day series, showing the prowess of both the teams and their boats, with the Kiwis coming out on top in a race that could’ve gone either way. New Zealand celebrated by aiming large magnums of Champagne at each other.

But this four-day round-robin, only good for bragging rights, is just the start of the three-month series of yacht-racing. The Louis Vuitton Cup starts Thursday and runs through October 5, when the overall winner faces New Zealand in the 10-day America’s Cup Match, ending on October 21.

If it sounds like a long season, it is. But the America’s Cup has slowly evolved from an often boring, elitist “sport” held offshore in very slow boats, into something of a tech spectacle with fast, foiling, 75-foot monohulls, called AC75s, that all have the same specs, with some modifications allowed. But not much. The idea is to make the event a more level playing field, technically and financially. Previous America’s Cups have favored the wealthiest teams that could afford technical modifications often executed in days to give an edge over competitors.

“New Zealand and Italy look really strong this year, with both strong boats and teams,” Dave Reed, editor-in-chief of Sailing World, tells Robb Report. “But the American team is also a contender. They have a really fast boat and some of the best sailors in the event.”

ETNZ chose Barcelona as the race venue because it would draw thousands of Europeans and North Americans to watch the races in person. Its sponsors range from tony brands such as Prada and Louis Vuitton (which is sponsoring all events this year) to the world’s most famous professional race sponsor Red Bull , which promised to inject excitement into the event.

The teams are now projecting competitive scrappiness rather than erudite sophistication, with a racecourse that encourages close encounters at speeds reaching 58 mph. But the dangers are mitigated this year, since there’s an electronic boundary around each boat that dishes out penalties to competitors that wander into their opponents’ territories.

Last week’s series, which pitted one team against another in head-to-head match races, showed flashes of brilliance and many self-inflicted errors, but also how fast and nimble the AC75s are.

The New York Yacht Club’s American Magic team, which took third place overall because of a broken rudder early in the series, beat the New Zealand Defenders soundly on the last day of racing, showing the world it was a serious contender. American Magic’s AC75, called Patriot, outdistanced the Kiwis by more than nearly 700 yards on the final stretch.  “It’s hard not to be happy, but we still got third in the series,” says Terry Hutchinson, skipper and president of American Magic. “You may win a couple of battles but don’t win the war, so you’ve got to keep the bigger picture in mind. That’s what we will do.”

The pundits seem to be favoring Luna Rossa Prada Pirelli and American Magic as the top contenders of the Defenders, with the Swiss Alinghi Red Bull Racing, with its team of young sailors, the U.K. team INEOS and France’s Orient Express Racing, on the second tier. The Kiwis are generally seen as the Cup favorites, helped by the fact that they won’t be racing any other teams until they meet the Louis Vuitton Cup winner in the America’s Cup finals.

“The America’s Cup is already over, we just don’t know who won yet,” Grant Dalton, head of ETNZ, told Robb Report several weeks ago. “The crew is important, but the only possible winner of the competition will be the fastest boat. The decisions that teams took from a technical point of view two years ago and the people that were hired, have dictated—not will dictate—the outcome already.” Not surprisingly, Dalton favored his own team as the Cup winners, with the Italians placing second.

But the dynamics could change over the next few months as the teams become more familiar with their boats and racing conditions in the Med. Beyond a team’s racing prowess, a mechanical failure could end the hopes of any team at a critical juncture. That happened to American Magic in the 2021 Louis Vuitton series.

Last week’s round-robins gave a glimpse of how the next races could unfold as the five Challenger teams compete against each other. For the most part, the boats performed well through the four days, with the final day being particularly challenging, with unstable winds and a confused sea state. Most were worried about boats breaking, something that could’ve been disastrous just days away from the Louis Vuitton Cup. But the teams soldiered on with only minor technical problems, looking forward to what should be a great three months of racing.

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Capgemini and America’s Cup Media to bring a new dimension to the 37th America’s Cup experience with WindSight IQ™

Breakthrough technology will visualize the wind live on screen, allowing fans and commentators to better understand optimum routes and team tactics, and making coverage of the sport more accessible than ever before

Paris, August 22, 2024 – Capgemini and the America’s Cup Media today revealed WindSight IQ™, the product innovation they will bring to the broadcast of the Louis Vuitton 37 th America’s Cup, as part of their global partnership announced earlier this year . For the first time, viewers and race commentators will be able to actually see the wind and how it varies across the racecourse in real-time. Furthermore, a yacht simulator will take the wind data and calculate the optimal routes around the course, enabling commentators and viewers to predict what teams on the water should do or analyze how teams could have won a race. A feat of engineering and design, WindSight IQ™ means that commentators and viewers will have more data and insight into the pinnacle event of international sailing than is available to the competing teams on the water.

Passion, meet innovation.

Tech is now an integral part of how fans consume sports

Viewing habits are changing, a recent study by the Capgemini Research Institute [1] found that 84% of fans say emerging technologies have enhanced their overall viewing experience. With 77% of Gen Z and 75% of Millennials preferring to watch sport outside of live venues, the viewing experience on screen is more important than ever. Wind patterns are a key factor in sailing that can change the course of a race and make the difference between winning or losing. For the first time, these wind patterns will be revealed and visualized by WindSight IQ ™ to bring a whole new dimension to the race experience for fans and broadcasters.

“WindSight IQ ™ is an innovation America’s Cup Media have been evaluating for a long time now, our objective has been to take another quantum leap in using technology to increase the understanding of sailing and the intricacies that the sailors at the pinnacle of our sport have to conquer. But to achieve our objective we needed to find a partner that was equally driven by pushing the boundaries of technology and innovation which Capgemini clearly were. So, for the Louis Vuitton 37 th America’s Cup WindSight IQ ™ is a significant advancement for the consumption of our sport,” explains Grant Dalton, CEO of the America’s Cup Event. “Four elements determine the race winner: the boat design, the team, the water, and the wind. Before and during the race, commentators will now be able to see the real-time wind patterns and explain to the viewers the options for the competing yachts. Being able to see the unseen wind and compare teams’ actual performances and tactical decisions to the optimum routes, will mean audiences can follow and engage in the racing on a whole new level. We are really looking forward to the impact WindSight IQ ™ will bring to this year’s Louis Vuitton 37 th America’s Cup viewing experience.”

Revealing the wind to millions in real time

Due to the technical challenge, no-one has been able to accurately demonstrate visualization of the wind in real-time yacht racing conditions – until now. Combining its expertise in technology, engineering, data and design, Capgemini and America’s Cup Media, the host broadcaster for the event, will use LiDAR (light detection and ranging), sensor fusion and scientific computation to reveal the wind in augmented reality (AR) and virtual reality (VR) graphics. The wind field data is also fed in real-time to a yacht simulator and used to create a live ‘ghost boat’ simulation that can be projected onto the racecourse through AR and VR graphics. It will show the optimal path that the crews should take given the measured variations in wind pressure, sheers, orientation, and speed.

To accurately collect raw wind data, three LiDARs have been positioned along the Barcelona waterfront overlooking the racecourse, scanning the full race area. Each LiDAR has an average 6.5km scanning range up to a maximum of 12km, and measures wind speeds, every 1.5 meters from 0 to 12km, up to 38m/s (73 knots) with an accuracy of <0.1m/s. WindSight IQ ™ supplements the LiDARs with wind data directly from the racing yachts and buoys’ wind sensors. All these data streams are fused using innovative algorithms to enable a wind field to be created over the entire racecourse. The wind field is refreshed every second based on the sensor measurements and predictive wind models.  

“Through technological innovation, combining laser sensor technology with advanced engineering and new visualization techniques, WindSight IQ ™ brings together the digital and physical worlds,” explains Keith Williams, Capgemini’s Chief Engineer for WindSight IQ ™ . “The wind plays a decisive role in the teams’ choices during the race, and by visualizing it, viewers can now see and comprehend the detailed pattern of wind speed and direction across the racecourse, as well as the best potential paths to be followed. The core challenge of this innovation lies in combining both engineering and design; accurately capturing the intricate patterns of the wind and also portraying it in a way that fans and commentators can easily see and understand. Our goal is to make the coverage of the Louis Vuitton 37 th America’s Cup more captivating and immersive than it has ever been.”

WindSight IQ™ is a turnkey solution designed, built and operated through a partnership between America’s Cup Media and Capgemini, combining its expertise in technology, engineering, data and design to feed the America’s Cup Media broadcast systems with real-time wind field visuals and AR/VR designs. The three LiDARs used as part of the solution are supplied by LUMIBIRD .

Transforming sport through technology and innovation

The Louis Vuitton 37 th America’s Cup partnership builds on Capgemini’s already strong track record in adding value to the fan experience and sporting performance through its sports sponsorships.

• For the 2023 Ryder Cup , Capgemini provided Outcome IQ, a tool that puts the intelligence of real-time data in the palm of every fan’s hand and helped enhance fan experience by tracking outcome probabilities shot by shot.
• As Worldwide Partner of Rugby World Cup France 2023 , Capgemini played a central role across multiple areas to support a smooth delivery of the tournament and enhance the fan experience.
• As part of a multi-year partnership with Peugeot Sport , Capgemini makes its advanced data analysis and artificial intelligence expertise available to Peugeot Sport’s experts. Capgemini provides the Peugeot 9X8 FIA World Endurance Championship (WEC) program team with advanced digital tools and analytics to enhance the performance of the team and the Peugeot 9X8 Hypercar.

Hi-resolution images are available on request. Capgemini is a registered trademark of the Capgemini group. All other trademarks are property of their respective owners.

About Capgemini

Capgemini is a global business and technology transformation partner, helping organizations to accelerate their dual transition to a digital and sustainable world, while creating tangible impact for enterprises and society. It is a responsible and diverse group of 340,000 team members in more than 50 countries. With its strong over 55-year heritage, Capgemini is trusted by its clients to unlock the value of technology to address the entire breadth of their business needs. It delivers end-to-end services and solutions leveraging strengths from strategy and design to engineering, all fueled by its market leading capabilities in AI, cloud and data, combined with its deep industry expertise and partner ecosystem. The Group reported 2023 global revenues of €22.5 billion.

Get The Future You Want |  www.capgemini.com

About The America’s Cup

The America’s Cup is the oldest international sporting trophy −dating back to 1851– and stands as one of the hardest sporting endeavours. The New York Yacht Club held the trophy for 132 years before losing it in 1983 to Australia. Since then, the Cup has only been won by teams from the United States, Switzerland and New Zealand. The current Defender of the America’s Cup is Emirates Team New Zealand, representing the Royal New Zealand Yacht Squadron.

The Louis Vuitton 37th America’s Cup will take place between 22 nd August and 22 nd October 2024 in the beating heart of Barcelona, one of the most visited cities on planet earth. Situated around Port Vell and out along the beach to Port Olympic, the sailing world has made Barcelona their home for what promises to be one of the most intense America’s Cups in the event’s 174-year history.

https://www.americascup.com

[1] A Whole New Ball Game – Why Sports Tech is a Game Changer , Capgemini Research Institute, June 2023

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