Bol dOr Mirabaud extends GPS tracking to the whole fleet
by Lindsay Chant 10 May 2010 16:07 BST
11-13 June 2010
For the first time in the 72 year history of the Bol d'Or Mirabaud, all of the 500 or more boats participating will be able to use live GPS tracking courtesy of Map My Tracks. Map My Tracks will be providing live GPS tracking via its range of mobile phone sports apps in conjunction with the organisers of this prestigious sailing event sailed on Lake Geneva on June 12.
In previous years the Cercle de la Voile de la Société Nautique de Genève has invested in GPS tracking for up to 100 boats. By taking advantage of Map My Tracks’ comprehensive range of compatible mobile phones they are, for the first time, able to offer live GPS tracking to the whole fleet.
Competitors with compatible mobile phones will be able to download a Map My Tracks mobile app that will update and broadcast their live location during the race so that spectators can follow the racing action on the event website via the organiser’s online race viewer. With such an extensive range of compatible mobile phone apps, that are compatible with iPhone, Nokia, Blackberry, Sony Ericsson phones, the organisers expect a large proportion of the fleet to be tracking live for spectators to follow around the world.
In Map My Tracks the event organisers have found a practical and cost effective alternative to the expensive proprietary GPS tracking solutions that have previously limited the number of participants that can be tracked live. By taking advantage of the explosion of mobile phones that have GPS capabilities, event organisers of mass participation sports are now able to offer GPS tracking to all competitors via the Map My Tracks event platform which broadcasts live action online for spectators around the world to follow.
Each competitor that uses Map My Tracks at this year’s Bol d'Or Mirabaud will be able to replay and compare their performance after the event to analyse their strategy and find out where the race was won or lost.
Speaking about today's fantastic news Nick Tatt of Map My Tracks says “We are delighted to be involved with such a prestigious sailing event as the Bol d’Or Mirabaud. The event has a long track record of pushing the boundaries and the addition of GPS tracking from Map My Tracks means that for the first time in its history the whole fleet can be tracked live for spectators to follow.”
Racing starts on June 12 and spectators will be able to follow the racing action live on the event website at www.boldormirabaud.com