For the past several events—from the Rolex NYYC Invitational Cup in Newport to the German Sailing League Finale in Berlin, the Youth Sailing Champions League in Altea, and the Youth World Championships in Vilamoura—Velocitek has had the privilege of partnering with TracTrac, one of the world’s leading experts in live tracking for sailing. Founded in 2005 and still run by its original founders, TracTrac has built a global reputation for making the excitement, strategy, and key moments of sailing visible and engaging for spectators, broadcasters, and sponsors alike. With offices in Denmark and Spain and partners in 13 countries, they deliver live tracking for more than 265 events each year, spanning inshore, coastal, and offshore racing.
TracTrac’s deep experience, combined with their background as elite athletes and coaches, made them an ideal collaborator as we worked together to bring RTK-level accuracy into the broadcast and tracking environment.
TracTrac co-founder Chris Terkelsen was kind enough to answer some questions and share his perspective on the collaboration and the impact of integrating Velocitek RTK data into TracTrac’s live tracking and storytelling tools.
From your perspective, what problems or production challenges were you aiming to solve by incorporating RTK-level accuracy at the Invitational Cup?
The New York Yacht Club Invitational Cup was the first time TracTrac and Velocitek worked together at an event. Both companies were brought in independently by NYYC, so we didn’t arrive with predefined expectations or joint objectives. What quickly became clear, however, was that the introduction of Velocitek’s RTK system presented both an exciting opportunity and a technical challenge we would need to address.
Traditional GPS trackers deliver positional accuracy of around ±1 meter. Velocitek’s RTK system, by contrast, was managing the start line with sub–2-centimeter accuracy. That level of precision introduced the possibility that our conventional GPS data and the RTK data might not always align on start calls. This was an unacceptable risk for a world-class event being broadcast to a global audience.
To ensure absolute consistency, we set out to integrate Velocitek’s RTK-derived starting data directly into our tracking, race management, and broadcast systems. That integration effort marked the beginning of our collaboration with Velocitek.
TracTrac has tested other RTK systems before—what limitations did you encounter, and how did Velocitek’s RTK system differ?
Leading up to the Paris 2024 Olympic Games, TracTrac participated in a project to develop high-precision tracking and start-line control. TracTrac was responsible for the software, while another company supplied the RTK hardware. In the end, the hardware did not meet the required standards, and therefore the software TracTrac had developed could not be put to use. Naturally, that was a disappointment—but the advantage was that when Velocitek launched their high-precision RTK unit, we already had all the necessary capabilities in our system to support start-line control and the use of this technology by race management, organizers, sailors, and spectators.
How would you describe the process of integrating the Velocitek RTK data stream into your tracking and broadcast tools?
Incorporating the Velocitek RTK data stream into the TracTrac software was very easy. Our [TracTrac] system was already prepared for the processing and display of all the data involved to the relevant parties, and the Velocitek API was simple and easy to use.
Across Newport, Berlin, and Altea, were there specific moments where RTK accuracy clearly improved the viewer experience or your workflow?
We clearly noticed the benefits of Velocitek’s RTK accuracy in Berlin and Altea, where we were directly involved in the operation of the technology. It is a revolutionary development for race management as well as for sailors. Race officers no longer have to worry about calling the line manually or about delays caused by general recalls. Likewise, sailors benefit from fairer start-line calls and more efficient racing.
How did the system perform in different environments (waterfront in Berlin, open-water racing in Altea, Newport conditions)?
The system has performed equally well in all the environments where we have used it.
What new storytelling or graphic capabilities did centimeter-level accuracy enable for your broadcasts?
A major benefit for broadcasts is the ability to run starts on time, efficiently, and without delay. This becomes especially clear in the Sailing League format, where up to 45 races may be run in a single weekend. In this context, high-accuracy tracking and start-line technology simply allow more races to be completed within the same time frame. For storytelling, it also provides compelling insights into team start strategies and how closely they push the line.
What broader value do you see for classes, leagues, or organizers in adopting RTK-level positioning? On a personal level—as engineers, sailors, and broadcast professionals—what has been most exciting or meaningful about working with RTK data?
For Olympic sailing, professional series, and any other events serious about fair starts, there is truly no alternative to RTK-level accuracy. The old days of relying on the human eye for sighting the line or less accurate systems catering for recreational championships instantly loses in a head-to-head comparison. The feedback we receive consistently describes it as a game changer for sailing, and there is no going back. It enables fairer racing and more efficient starts with fewer people involved, which ultimately makes the sport more attractive, enjoyable and exciting for everyone.
Is there anything you want to add about TracTrac apps (race management, etc.) or any other integrations that you're excited about?
The unique centimeter accuracy Velocitek RTK hardware, together with the comprehensive TracTrac Race Management and tracking software, is a powerful combination. We are already receiving significant interest from classes and events of all types. We look forward to help in expanding the use of this combined solution to more events, new classes, and larger fleets.
Ready to see RTK in action? Get in touch.