SailGP Launches Real-Time 3D Tabletop Racing with New AR Technology

SailGP – the most exciting racing on water – has announced the launch of its most immersive fan experience yet – the Tabletop iOS Viewer at Home. Now live in the SailGP app, the immersive viewer allows fans to transform any flat surface into a live, interactive SailGP racecourse powered by augmented reality.

The new viewer projects a detailed, real-time 3D model of the race directly onto the viewer’s tabletop, turning any surface into a SailGP stadium.

“With the launch of our new Tabletop Viewer, fans can experience SailGP like never before,” said SailGP Chief Technology Officer, Warren Jones. “We’re constantly striving to make the sport more accessible, more engaging and more immersive for fans and this technology does exactly that. Our boats already race just meters from the shoreline, but now we’re bringing fans even closer to the action and providing real-time insight, wherever they are in the world. It means fans will never miss a moment with the action unfolding right in front of them.”

The experience gives fans full control of how they view the action; by using intuitive iOS gestures, users can pinch, zoom and rotate to explore every angle of the race. More than just cutting-edge visuals, the technology also provides deep insight into the racing. The viewing experience is complete with SailGP’s award-winning AR graphical overlay, LiveLine, bringing fans closer to the action with unique insights into tactical decisions and strategy, including real-time boat speeds, wind shifts and more. 

Whether viewing from the kitchen table, in the living room, at a bar with friends, or at a SailGP event, the Tabletop Viewer turns any environment into a SailGP command centre, redefining how the sport can be experienced from anywhere around the world. The technology is unveiled  ahead of the Mubadala New York Sail Grand Prix, the sixth stop on the global calendar this season, with fans able to try out the experience for themselves via the SailGP app during live racing on June 7 and 8 – or catch up on replays in advance.

The Tabletop Viewer is one of several fan-first features powered by Oracle, to be rolled out across the 2025 Season – SailGP’s most technologically advanced to date. The news follows the release of in-app AR / VR features to enhance the viewing experience with immersive insights and live graphical overlays, deployed at the end of Season 4.

The Mubadala New York Sail Grand Prix returns on June 7 and 8, with 12 national teams competing in identical, hydrofoiling F50 catamarans, racing faster than the wind at speeds over 100 km/h (60 mph). The best athletes in the sport –compete for a total prize of USD $12 million, the largest in the sport. Bringing fans to the heart of the action with close-to-shore stadium racing and a vibrant Après-Sail atmosphere, tickets to SailGP’s New York event are on sale now and selling fast. Find out more at SailGP.com/NY. 

Article by Joseph Ralph Fraia - jrfstudio - @jrfstudio

Photos and videos courtesy of SailGP Media