The 2007 edition of the Skandia Sail for Gold Regatta saw 269 sailors from 15 countries come together to compete across nine Olympic classes at the home of sailing for the London 2012 Olympics, Weymouth Bay.

The crucial medal races were broadcast live to a wide audience through the internet, on radio and TV and on large screens on site. Whilst the top ten boats in each class, fought it out for a spot on the podium, an audience of several thousand viewers, from 69 different nations, watched events unfold online. But for those who missed the live TV spectacle click here for the official Skandia Sail for Gold Regatta race footage.

The regatta was a test bed for many new communication systems, with the aim of putting Olympic sailing back on track as an exciting, watchable sport. Alongside the TV and radio coverage, the online audience are now able to watch one of the closest races from the event in the Laser Radial class with animations. The LiveSailing Player from BeTomorrow was perfected at the America’s Cup and has been developed to work with the Olympic class dinghies for the Skandia Sail for Gold regatta. The Player allows the viewer to replay the race in animation form, from different viewpoints, watching the positions change as the race progresses and see intricate details such as boat and wind speed.

“Perhaps the biggest step forward was that of the RYA’s attempt to bring the action ashore for the public,” said Yachting World’s Matt Sheahan. “With live radio, television and tracking broadcast across screens, the airwaves and the internet, this Olympic dinghy event (open to all and with no entry fee), took on the feel of the recent America’s Cup. While there were teething problems at times with some of the technology, there’s little doubt that if the RYA continues to strive to bring the racing ashore, Sail for Gold will represent more than simply an annual rehearsal for the big gig in 2012.”

Whilst the races can be viewed in full on the website, they can also be downloaded and emailed allowing the regatta to be shared between competitors, friends and families. Some of the top races from the day include the exciting 49er race, which saw World Champions Stevie Morrison and Ben Rhodes beaten by fellow Skandia Team GBR team members John Pink and Simon Wheeler. The showdown between Finn sailors Ed Wright and Swedish number one Daniel Birgmark is also ready to view. The two heavyweight sailors went into the final race with one point between them, making for nail-biting drama on the racecourse, with Wright the eventual victor in the windy conditions.

Audio interviews from the regatta can also be heard, with clips from some of key players including Briton’s Ed Wright and the RYA Olympic Manager Stephen Park giving their impressions of the event and the final days conclusions. As well as the racing footage, which includes interviews with the key players in every race, all five days video podcasts can be easily viewed, with action packed footage and interviews from all nine Olympic classes.