Saltwater won’t splash in your face, but it’s the next best thing to watching in-person, high-tech, high-speed 50-foot F50 catamarans tearing across the water at nearly 60 mph in some of the world’s most iconic locations.
SailGP is sailing’s version of the Formula One Grand Prix, except Mother Nature delivers the horsepower in the form of wind. Now, fans can experience the races like never before with the SailGP RaceScape XR app, paired with an Apple Vision Pro headset, offering an ultra-immersive extended reality view of the sport.
“We are excited to launch RaceScape XR and this new XR experience for fans, ahead of the Germany Sail Grand Prix/Sassnitz this weekend,” said Matt Lord, SailGP’s director of technology and digital systems, in an Aug. 13 announcement. “We’re continually pushing the boundaries on our digital fan experience and development of cutting-edge technology to bring our Grand Prix events to life for our fans, and provide them with the ability to truly immerse themselves in the heart of the racing action.”
RaceScape XR blends live racing with augmented and virtual reality features that bring fans closer to the action than ever before. Viewers can toggle between a World Feed and onboard videos for each team, while real-time leaderboards and race data track every shift in position. An AR tabletop mode projects a live 3D course complete with boat positions, tactical data, and even “ghost boat” competitors for comparison. With a tap, fans can jump from one vessel to another to see the race through different crews’ perspectives, while historical and live metrics allow for in-depth replay and analysis.
The platform is built on SailGP’s patented LiveLine production technology, an Emmy Award-winning broadcast graphics system that overlays course boundaries, speeds, and positioning data onto live footage. Originally designed to help explain the nuances of professional sailing to a broader audience, LiveLine has become central to the league’s push to expand its fan base.
SailGP’s embrace of extended reality is part of a larger wave of technological advancements that have transformed the 2025 season into the most high-tech in sailing history. AI-powered race marks, collision-avoidance systems, and real-time 3D tabletop race viewers have been introduced alongside traditional race coverage, creating a hybrid viewing experience for both in-person spectators and remote fans.
The 2025 circuit began Nov. 23, 2024, and runs through Nov. 30, 2025, featuring 12 races at venues from Abu Dhabi to Saint-Tropez, New York to Auckland, San Francisco to Dubai. Each race is a national showdown, with sails emblazoned with country flags from teams representing the United States, Australia, New Zealand, Great Britain, Brazil, Italy, Canada, France, Denmark, Germany, Switzerland, and Spain. At stake is a $12.8 million prize pool, with the championship decided in a season-ending finale among the top three teams.
Course layouts bring the racing close to shore, with buoy-marked routes threading near grandstands packed with spectators. But for fans without the time or budget to chase the champagne-soaked shoreline circuit around the globe, RaceScape XR offers a front-row seat from the living room.
On the water, the competition is as much about tactics as it is about speed. Each F50 is nearly identical in design, ensuring that victory depends on crew skill, split-second decision-making, and the ability to adapt to wind and water conditions. A typical five-person crew includes a helmsman, a wing trimmer, a flight controller, and two grinders — powerhouse athletes whose sole job is to generate energy for the boat’s hydraulic systems.
Though the onboard action can look chaotic, the sailors move with practiced precision, shifting positions and adjusting sails while enduring forces of up to 3 Gs. Tethered to the deck, they leap across the trampoline-like platform as if navigating an obstacle course, with the occasional heart-stopping moment of a crew member swinging dangerously over open water.
Much like Formula One’s tire strategy, sail configurations are fine-tuned for conditions. The carbon-fiber wing sail can be set at three heights — from 29 meters to 18 meters — to match wind speed and weather. Hydrofoils lift the hull clear of the water, slashing drag and enabling high speed. The boat’s controls, a mix of hydraulic and electric systems, adjust rudders, sails, and foils with pinpoint accuracy.
Beneath the sleek carbon-fiber shell lies an ocean of data. Thousands of sensors track up to 30,000 data points per second, feeding into AI systems that help teams optimize performance and refine race strategy in real time. The same data powers the broadcast and RaceScape XR feeds, allowing fans to dissect every turn, acceleration, and tactical decision.
The experience mirrors the virtual immersion that Formula One fans have enjoyed for years. Through apps like Lapz, motorsport followers can toggle between multiple camera angles, study detailed driver telemetry, and explore interactive 3D track maps. RaceScape XR brings that same level of insight to sailing — except instead of the roar of engines, it’s the hiss of wind across the sails. SailGP is betting that the blend of technology, world-class athleticism, engineering, and cutting-edge digital storytelling will boost the popularity of competitive sailing.
