CE Case Study
Sail GP
Controlled Events delivered global event control, communications and contingency planning support across the SailGP event series between 2019 and 2021.
Context & Background
Controlled Events was appointed to support the SailGP event series between 2019 and 2021, establishing a global communications and event control capability across multiple international host cities.
The project required integrated event control facilities, multi agency coordination, contingency planning, readiness exercising and blended communications using UHF and Push to Talk over Cellular technology.
The Challenge
The brief for the 2019 to 2021 event series was to establish a global radio capability blending UHF and Push to Talk over Cellular, alongside event control facilities, contingency planning and readiness exercises across 17 international events.
Partnering with Logic Wireless and drawing on previous America’s Cup experience, Controlled Events supported multi agency planning with Sydney, San Francisco, New York, Cowes and Marseille in season one and Sydney in 2020, establishing training, exercising and operational control room capability in each location.
Our Role & Scope
- Global radio communications capability
- UHF and Push to Talk over Cellular integration
- Event control room delivery
- Contingency planning and readiness exercises
- Crosswire dispatcher communications monitoring
- Coordination with Vessel Traffic Services and regulatory authorities
- ECR Manager incident logging and situational awareness support
- Multi agency communications and operational coordination
Approach & Solution
Controlled Events delivered fully integrated event control facilities coordinating Race Village, Broadcast and Race Management operations across the SailGP series.
Using Crosswire dispatcher capability, the team monitored key operational channels and worked closely with Vessel Traffic Services and regulatory authorities within each host city to provide situational awareness across multiple partner agencies and control centres.
The ECR Manager logging platform was rapidly shared with emergency services control centres, operational managers and radio controllers, enabling real time information management, notifications and coordinated decision making during live operations and incidents.
Delivery Highlights
- Integrated event control rooms delivered across multiple international cities
- Blended UHF and Push to Talk over Cellular communications capability
- Real time operational coordination for on water and on shore activity
- Crosswire dispatcher monitoring of key communication channels
- Rapid information sharing between operational partners and control centres
- Support for crowd management, race operations and contingency response
Outcomes & Impact
Despite challenging weather conditions and operational incidents both on and off the water, the SailGP series received highly positive feedback from managers, partners and volunteers.
Controlled Events supported the organisation throughout planning, live delivery and post event operations, helping ensure effective communication, operational coordination and informed decision making across all stages of the event series.
The integrated event control and communications approach strengthened collaboration between operational teams, stakeholders and regulatory authorities across the international programme.
“During the Cowes event in August 2019 we faced unprecedented wind conditions which forced postponement of the schedule, infrastructure to be de-rigged and schedules to be reorganised. Throughout this Controlled Events provided active communication and coordination with all key managers, monitoring weather conditions and logging key decisions and actions. During the second day of the event we experienced several race-course incidents and at all times the Event Control Room team ensured we were able to communicate internally to make informed decisions and to inform people on next steps, ranging from the media, guests, ticket holders and stakeholders. Without Controlled Events the event would have been challenging to deliver and less efficient in being able to communicate issues, incidents and schedule changes to all key parties.”
Julien Di Biase Chief Operating Officer