SATELLITE TRACKING FOR CORAL SEA CLASSIC 2001

by Tamzin Wardley on 5 Feb 2001 Safety considerations and 'audience participation' for the Coral Sea Classic 2001 have just improved dramatically with the announcement that. StarTrack's .GPS tracking will be in place for the race series, via the official race website Sail-World.com.

The StarTrack GPS tracking was used very successfully on Sail-World.com in the Leasecorp Gosford to Lord Howe race and the Indec Consulting Melbourne to Hobart race.

It will enable us to have up to the minute positioning data for the yachts which both dramatically improves our monitoring of the off-shore races but also helps us provide information for media and family and our overall coverage of the race.

Yachting has always been difficult to sell as a spectator sport. The Coral Sea Classic has been particularly difficult as spectators only get to see the beginning or finish of the races, as they race from Townsville to Cairns and Cairns to Port Moresby.

Now we will be able to display the race with virtually live coverage at the yacht clubs involved with the race and on the Internet. The position of boats, along with their heading and speeds and distance to go will display on a chart of the course.

The series is proudly sponsored by Air Niugini, EMTV, HIH and Sail-World.com.

The Entry form and Notice of Race can be printed from http://www.sail-world.com

The series will be covered in detail on the Sail-World website so watch out for further information about the event.