E’ notizia dei giorni scorsi che gli eSport faranno parte a tutti gli effetti dei prossimi giochi olimpici e con una decisione pronta e clamorosa, la World Sailing è la prima federazione mondiale a dare la propria adesione creando una joint venture con la Virtual Regatta (società che crea video giochi a base velica come la Vor, la Extreme Sailing, etc…) decretando così la partenza della campagna olimpica di vela elettronica. Per fare questo la federaziione lancia la eSailing World Championships. A partire dal 2018 aperte le selezioni! Le regate inshore daranno punteggi ai partecipanti che determineranno la eSailing World Rankings. I giocatori quindi parteciperanno alle qualifiche fino ad arrivare alle fasi finali. Il primo evento sarà a novembre del prossimo anno a Sarasota, USA.
Di seguito il comunicato lanciato dalla World Sailing.
The eSWC is aimed at everyone from expert sailors to sports gamers. Virtual Regatta has experienced that around half of players are non-sailors, and with a young age profile. World Sailing see the eSWC as a perfect way for fans without access to sailing equipment or facilities to become engaged in the excitement of the sport. The unique qualities of sailing – combining sport, nature and technology – lend themselves to a virtual gaming environment. The multiplicity of variables, with the combination of equipment and the forces of nature, make virtual sailing every bit as challenging and strategic as the real thing.
Virtual Regatta currently has more than one million active players on its platform and has acquired in excess of 100 million views on Dailymotion. World Sailing is one of the first international sports federations to move into eSports and the move will allow existing and new audiences to engage in the sport on a digital platform.
“Sailing is well suited to digital presentation,” commented World Sailing President Kim Andersen. “The sport requires constant inputs and an acquired skillset to manage the relationship between the boat and the forces of nature. “The variety in boats, from dinghies, windsurfers to 100 foot boats make it especially rich as a gaming platform.”
Philippe Guigné, founder and CEO of Virtual Regatta said, “Virtual Regatta is honoured to enter the World Sailing family. Our international federation is showing the world how sailing is at the edge of innovation. “The eSailing World Championship is probably one of the most ambitious and innovative projects in the world between a federation and a gaming company.
“ESports is opening a new audience to our sport as well as allowing sailors to practice their favourite sport everywhere at anytime.”
About Virtual Regatta
Virtual Regatta is the leading digital sailing platform with a community of more than one million players. Founded in Paris, France in 2002 by passionate sailor Philippe Guigné, Virtual Regatta strives to give everyone the possibility to discover and practice sailing.
Since its inception, Virtual Regatta has created and published an Offshore and Inshore version of the game, mirroring the real sailing world. More than 150 digital competitions have been organised to date with a record 485,000 participants playing in the Vendée Globe.
In addition, Virtual Regatta is the official and exclusive game of major sailing events including the Volvo Ocean Race, Vendée Globe, Extreme Sailing Series and the Star Sailors League.
