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Virtual Reality Event Tracker for the Volvo Ocean Race
A partnership agreement has been reached between Virtual Spectator Inc and the Volvo Ocean Race to provide Internet coverage and television animations for the upcoming event, which starts from Southampton, UK, on September 23rd.

Virtual Spectator and the Volvo Ocean Race are collaborating on a 3D Internet viewer that will be able to be downloaded from the Volvo Ocean Race website at http://www.volvooceanrace.org and the Virtual Spectator website at http://www.virtualspectator.com. This subscription based viewer will feature regular position data, weather, editorial content, photos and audio to allow fans to follow this ocean going event at any time, anywhere.

The viewer will be available in early September. Users will take control of what they watch, zooming and selecting a variety of aerial and waterlevel perspectives. Simple tape recorder style controls, including fast forward, reverse and stop, will allow users to analyze key tactical moves. The weather overlay will show real-time interactive weather charts, including forecast changes extending out 60 hours.

The Volvo application will be the first VS product to have audio based commentary, It will be receiving audio commentary from the fleet every 12 hours, combining these clips with 3D simulations of the same time period to provide a unique narration of the race.

Virtual Spectator will also provide the Volvo Ocean Race with software to create 3D animations for the television coverage of the event.

Virtual Spectator is a world leader in 3D animation products for both
television and the Internet. The company has developed applications for
use in sailing, golf, cricket, football, motor sport and music events.
The Virtual Spectator Group of companies is privately owned with its
headquarters in New York, and affiliate offices in Auckland and Dunedin,
New Zealand.

In 1999, Virtual Spectator chose the America's Cup as the first event to
demonstrate the way that sports coverage could be delivered to fans via
the Internet using 3D animation graphics previously only seen on
television.