Emirates Team New Zealand has just beaten Ineos Britannia from the UK in the 37th America’s Cup competition in Barcelona. It was a conclusive victory, with the Royal New Zealand Yacht Squadron trouncing the UK’s Royal Yacht Squadron 7 races to 2.
However, considering it’s a competitive sailing event dominated by wind power, the America's Cup yacht race also revolves around a surprising amount of electricity. For the coverage alone there are some 700 staff who've made use of 16 cameras, 1,000 drones and numerous control centres to get the event beamed across the globe over the last few days.
Watching the race from the 18th floor of the Torre Mapfre building that gives a bird’s eye view of the course, Mike Blackman, Integrated Systems Europe (or ISE) Managing Director has a good reason to be taking an interest in the event.
An annual tech show for the systems integration and audiovisual industry, ISE has been in Barcelona ever since it outgrew its previous home in Amsterdam. What’s more, it’s been around for 20 years now, and Blackman sees an obvious connection between the new tech that’ll be on display when the event rolls around again in February of next year and the amazing duo of yachts careering in and on top of the sea in front of him.
