By Nathan Luck
SAP business intelligence has infiltrated the sporting arena, with its business systems ensuring that spectators, coaches and competitors benefit from the most accurate, real-time data in the history of the 505 World Sailing Championships.
Kicking off in Hamilton Island last month, the ‘one-design’ high-performance two-person mono-hull championship – one of the most challenging classes of sailing across the globe – treated spectators to a real-time experience via a live tracker utilising SAP analysis and video content.
For the first time, spectators were able to use a map or camera on their iPhone to point at a mark for race positions and live results from the 100-strong field.
SAP BusinessObjects business intelligence solutions were also used by competitors to evaluate results at the end of each day and hone their strategies for the next leg of the race.
Event sponsor SAP also leveraged its BI Solutions technology for the event, enabling competitors to track race results in real-time via reports delivered to their iPhone, iPad, or through interactive online maps. SAP Crystal Solutions provided a variety of reports and analytics to help the teams strategise during the regatta, with interactive dashboards and mapping systems creating a model of the best possible route for each day’s race.
These analytics were made available on the event website, alongside a ‘live mash-up’ featuring GPS tracking, race video streaming and interactive social commentary – providing complete online coverage during and after each leg of the race.
“There has been a lot of innovation with the technology, the key difference being the mobility of bringing the actual software not only to the competitors but the people watching the event live on the web or via their iPhone or iPad,” said Carter Jackson, chairman of the 2011 SAP 505 World Championship and skipper of AUS 8853, ahead to the event.
“SAP has been involved in three World Championships now. Its key involvement is the technology it provides the fleet. SAP is taking live data tracking from the course and using the BusinessObject suite from SAP to give sailors information analytics on their race day. It’s critical information that the sailors will use at the end of each day.”
