Yachting: NZ's Opti Worlds crests high tech wave

Regatta spokesman Peter Dawson. Photo / File

When Optimist sailors from around the world arrive in Napier late next month, they will find themselves taking part in one of the world's most technologically sophisticated dinghy regattas.

With the help of the event's latest sponsor, communications giant Vodafone, the regatta organisers plan to "live-stream" action from the race-course direct to the clubhouse and to their website. This means friends, family and armchair sailors all around the world will be able to watch all the races and every mark rounding exactly as it happens.

It is the sort of technology that high-profile events such as the America's Cup and the Volvo Ocean Race are working towards. Securing it and the substantial Vodafone sponsorship for the Opti Worlds NZ is a real coup for the Napier Sailing Club.

"This will enable us to take dinghy yacht racing to a very sophisticated level for the absent viewer," says regatta spokesman Peter Dawson.

"There are now 41 countries officially entered in the regatta and this opens the door for great exposure for sponsors and to showcase New Zealand in terms of tourism."

As well as providing the mobile 3G capacity necessary to facilitate the live streaming of race footage, Vodafone will supply 300 SIM cards and data plans. This will enable the regatta to use GPS tracking on every Optimist on the racecourse and at all marks.

Dawson believes this will showcase youth yachting in a new way.

"It will also demonstrate New Zealand's ability to hold international yachting regattas here and make them visible to the world," he says.

Vodafone will also have its "Big Red Truck" on-site at the Napier Sailing Club during the regatta. In it, spectators will be able to experiment with new technology, and buy phones and top-up cards.

"We understand how hungry fans are to get close to the action," says Vodafone's chief marketing officer, Greg Campbell, "and the importance of tracking the teams' performances."

Although the reigning world champion is Noppakao Poonpat from Thailand (who sailed to victory in Langkawi this year), New Zealand does have a proud history of success in the event. In 2007, Chris Steele won, while Alex Maloney was the top-performing girl and won third place overall. New Zealand also took the prize for the top team.

The Opti Worlds NZ will begin on December 20 with a four-day sailing clinic. This will be followed by an invitational regatta for all international entrants and 100 of the top New Zealand Optimist sailors, from December 28 and 31.

There will be a welcoming ceremony and registration event before the championship races are held on January 1-9. A Christmas Day celebration will be held in the Eskdale Reserve for those away from home.

Clubs to benefit, too

The Opti Worlds will benefit other New Zealand sailing clubs, too.

In the months leading up to the championship, local Honda dealer Ericksen Marine has been collecting 26 Southern Pacific RIBs (rigid inflatable boats) from the manufacturer in Auckland and their matching Enduro trailers from Hamilton and bringing them to its Napier base.

There it has been fitting the engines and setting up the boats for use as official, safety and patrol craft for the international regatta.

At the end of the championships, the 26 boats (18 4.7m RIBs with 40hp Honda outboards and eight 4.3m RIBs powered by 30hp Hondas) will be delivered to sailing clubs throughout the country.

The RIBs have all been pre-sold to the clubs, with the help of partial funding from the Lion Foundation of NZ.

Opti Worlds NZ

Where: Napier Sailing Club.

When: Dec 30 to Jan 9.

The Optimist: A simple dinghy that is one of the world's most popular designs.

The event: Nine days of championship racing.

The entrants: Sailors expected from 50 countries.

The technology: GPS tracking and live video coverage online in real time.

www.optiworldsnz.com

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