SAP developed new online certification platform and live-tracking SAP Sail Insight App
PORTSMOUTH, R.I. (November 16, 2016) – Today, US Sailing, national governing body of the sport of sailing, and SAP SE (NYSE: SAP), a market leader in enterprise application software, announced a multi-year partnership that designates SAP as the “Official Technology Partner and Cloud Solutions Provider” of US Sailing. The initial phase of the partnership has focused on increasing access to offshore racing in the U.S. by simplifying the process for boat owners to get on the starting line. It is our goal to provide data and analytics to competitive sailors to help them better prepare and perform during races.
Earlier this year, SAP and US Sailing collaborated to develop and implement a first of its kind online platform, Universal Certification System (UCS), which simplifies the processes around ratings certificate applications and management for sailors, and the creation of a live-tracking and analytics mobile app, SAP Sail InSight that provides sailors and teams with valuable data for post-race analysis.
The UCS, rolled out for the first time during the 2016 sailing season, is a powerful tool that enables users to securely and conveniently manage boat information and submit rating certificate requests and payments entirely online. Prior to the digital transformation of the certification system, racers had to submit certificate requests via mail, fax or over the phone, significantly slowing down the process and making the overall management of certificates more challenging. This transition to the online certification system was made possible by SAP technology, including SAP HANA Cloud Platform, SAP Cloud ID Service and SAP Fiori Design.
Additional benefits of the UCS include the simplification of the process for handicap sailboat ratings and boats that race under multiple rules, as well as more visibility into the overall measurement and ratings process for all boat owners, measurers, race organizers, sail lofts and crews. The UCS is being utilized for big boat sailing as well as ORR (Offshore Racing Rule) certificates.
SAP Sail InSight, available for iPhone, iPad and Android phones, uses a connection to the SAP Sailing Analytics solution and allows sailboat racers to manage their regatta participation and performance anywhere and anytime, providing sailors and teams with valuable information for post-race analysis.
Users download the app on their smartphone and record GPS tracks while out on the water, calculating racing results and other valuable data for post-race review and analysis. SAP Sail InSight is being beta-tested by US Sailing and SAP at select racing events, with the first test by hundreds of users at the Sperry Charleston Race Week this past April. We will continue to test SAP Sail InSight throughout 2017 at select regattas around the country.
“We are excited to unveil our partnership with US Sailing and new technology for the sailing community that will help the sport grow,” said Stefan Lacher, Head of Sponsorship Technology, SAP. “We’ve been active in the sport of sailing around the world since 2009, and are leveraging our experience and expertise to help the U.S. sailing community increase efficiencies and leverage data-driven insights.”
“An important initiative for US Sailing is to expand access to offshore racing and focus on developing new strategies that increase participation,” said Jack Gierhart, Executive Director, US Sailing. “The user-friendly UCS platform drastically lowers the hurdles for new racers to get involved, and through SAP technology, we are now able to streamline the process and empower sailors and boat owners to make better decisions about their boats.”
US Sailing and SAP will be releasing more details about product developments, updates and availability in 2017.
Media Contacts:
Jake Fish, Communications Manager, US Sailing, jakefish@ussailing.org
Ryan Somers, Global Sponsorships Director, SAP, r.somers@sap.com
About US Sailing
The United States Sailing Association (US Sailing), the national governing body for sailing, provides leadership, integrity, and growth for the sport in the United States. Founded in 1897 and headquartered in Portsmouth, Rhode Island, US Sailing is a 501(c) (3) non-profit organization. US Sailing offers training and education programs for instructors and race officials, supports a wide range of sailing organizations and communities, issues offshore rating certificates, and provides administration and oversight of competitive sailing across the country, including National Championships and the US Sailing Team Sperry. For more information, please visit www.ussailing.org.
About SAP
As market leader in enterprise application software, SAP (NYSE: SAP) helps companies of all sizes and industries run better. From back office to boardroom, warehouse to storefront, desktop to mobile device – SAP empowers people and organizations to work together more efficiently and use business insight more effectively to stay ahead of the competition. SAP applications and services enable approximately 300,000 customers to operate profitably, adapt continuously, and grow sustainably. For more information, visit www.sap.com.