Race Tracker

Introduction

During the Memorial Day weekend, hundreds of boats and their sailors will disappear over the horizon as they compete in the Swiftsure International Yacht Race. In the past, those wishing to watch the boats as they traversed the Strait of Juan de Fuca and its hazards could only do so with their imagination. This is no longer the case as Swiftssure fans are able to access the Swiftsure Race Tracker to watch the races and the progress of each boat online. Through the improved version of the Swiftsure Race Tracker software the Swiftsure International Yacht Race has become practically a spectator sport.

Expanding Access

The ability of the Swiftsure Race Tracker to present live Swiftsure races has allowed the popularity of the race to expand from an audience restricted to the Pacific Northwest of Canada and the United States. The Swiftsure Race Tracker is very popular; users from countries such as the United Kingdom, Germany and Mexico and even as far as Australia, Turkey and China log on to watch the races. Where once one could only follow the races by listening to a local Victoria radio station for updates, now people from across the world experience Swiftsure’s races live through the Swiftsure Race Tracker.

Functionality that Gives Users Immediate Access

With its beginnings as a simple grid-data system, the interactive Swiftsure Race Tracker system is remarkably evolved. In its present form, the Swiftsure Race Tracker is comprised of multiple technologies working together to allow followers around the world to track the participating boats from the comfort of their own homes.

The system begins with a Globalstar SPOT GPS transponder located on each boat, which communicates its position every 10 minutes to the Globalstar satellite network used by Swiftsure. From here, the information is sent to a database server and onward to the Swiftsure Race Tracker software, which then displays the location of the boats in a Google maps-based layout, allowing the public to track Swiftsure live. Now, not only can Swiftsure fans watch any and every race but also the Swiftsure Race Tracker allows them to track individual and multiple boats as well as select favourites that they can track at any time during the race.

Operational Use

The Swiftsure Race Tracker provides two major benefits: race management and public access.  Transponders on every Long Course boat linked to the Swiftsure Race Tracker software enables the Race Committee to keep track of the location of the boats. As a race management tool, the Swiftsure Race Tracker provides the Race Committee with information when the boats are approaching various rounding marks and as they near the finish line (an imaginary line across the race course), ensuring that the finishing crew can establish preliminary results which are then posted immediately to the Swiftsure website.

As a resource to the public, the Swiftsure Race Tracker provides, via the Internet, ongoing access to the various Long Course Swiftsure races.  Followers worldwide can see the location of every boat, follow their tactical manoeuvres, as well as receive the updated status of the various races.  Online viewers can cheer on their favourite crews comfortably from their armchairs at home.

Future Development

Other yacht regattas began employing the Race Tracker in 2012, including Southern Straits, Van Isle 360, and Northern Century. Races in the Pacific Northwest such as the Pacific Northwest Offshore Race have used this system.

Conclusion

When all the boats are lined up at their starting positions in May, the Swiftsure Race Tracker will also be in position.  For online viewers worldwide the website www.swiftsure.org will provide ongoing and immediate feedback on the status of each boat as well as all of the various races.  Once the race has started, log in to the Swiftsure Race Tracker using your laptop, computer or mobile phone, and follow your favourite boats!