by Greg Grzesiak
In the dynamic world of competitive sailing, the fusion of tradition and technology is revolutionizing the sport. With advancements in boat design, weather forecasting, and performance analytics, sailors today navigate a vastly different landscape than those of previous decades. At the forefront of this transformation is Jon Bilger, a seasoned sailor and Olympian whose journey from the Barcelona 1992 Olympics to pioneering cutting-edge technologies epitomizes this evolution. One might say the seas are in Jon Bilger’s genes.
The son of a triple Olympian sailor, Jon set sail at the age of eight, traveling with his father to attend regattas around the world. Jon carried the family legacy forward, becoming an Olympian in his own right and competing for New Zealand in the Barcelona 1992 Olympics. Jon is also a two-time America’s Cup winner, a New Zealand National Champion in multiple classes, and the Founding Director of PredictWind, a passion project driven by Jon’s desire to keep mariners as safe and prepared as possible at sea.
Reflecting on his journey from Barcelona in 1992 to today, Jon’s experience is a testament to the remarkable advancements in competitive sailing. Although the courses remain similar and the objective, to be the first to cross the finish line, hasn’t changed, the technology supporting athletes has evolved dramatically. – Full story
Source: scuttlebutt – https://www.sailingscuttlebutt.com/2024/06/27/technology-changing-sailing-at-paris-2024/
