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WHO IS THE BEST INTERNATIONAL SAILING CLUB?

The most successful National Sailing League clubs compete against each other in four SAILING Champions League events. Each club forms a team from its most accomplished sailors. To win the title and the much sought-after trophy, the clubs have to perform under pressure and put in a world-class performance when it matters most. Short races, one-design boats, a standardised course and a competition between the most prestigious sailing clubs in the world – all these ingredients combine to guarantee sailing at its best.

YOUTH SAILING AND WOMEN’S SAILING CHAMPIONS LEAGUES

Following the exponential growth of the league format, the next obvious steps were to create special leagues for Youth and Women’s competition. So for the first time in 2018 we saw sailors competing in the Youth SAILING Champions League and Women’s SAILING Champions League. It’s all about making league sailing as accessible and attractive as possible to a wider group of sailors, as well as increasing the appeal to sponsors and commercial partners.

THE IDEA BEHIND SAILING CHAMPIONS LEAGUE

It’s a straightforward format that has been working well in football for years; now we have clear proof that it also works for sailing: An international club competition generating high levels of media interest and a competition that clubs, sailors and fans can all identify with.

The idea behind SAILING Champions League is simple: it’s the championship of the national champions. The most successful clubs of the National Sailing League countries are competing against each other to fight for the title: “Best Sailing Club of the Year”.

 

SAILING Champions League Qualification Mode Pyramide

National Sailing Leagues

WHY NATIONAL SAILING LEAGUES?

The SAILING Champions League is based on the same proven and successful format of National Sailing Leagues. It all started out with a bold experiment in 2013 with the creation of the German Sailing League in 2013. The format was the brainchild of consulting and holding company “Konzeptwerft” in conjunction with some of the leading German sailing clubs as well as the German Sailing Association.

The concept took off like wildfire and it wasn’t long before it started capturing the attention of sailors in other countries. The organisers of the German Sailing League started getting several serious inquiries from all around Europe and even from the USA. In 2014, Denmark became the first European country to adopt the format of a National Sailing League along the lines of the German model. As of 2019, 21 nations all over the globe are running their own National Sailing Leagues. The logical conclusion of this trend? One international League for the national champions and the best of the National Sailing Leagues – the SAILING Champions League.

 

HISTORY OF SAILING CHAMPIONS LEAGUE

In 2013, the consulting and holding company “Konzeptwerft” in Hamburg revolutionised the sport of sailing in Germany. For the first time the clubs raced directly against each other in a friendly competition called the National Sailing League. The concept took the ages-old tradition of “club versus club” and turned that friendly rivalry into a competition that immediately caught the interest of sailors around the country. It ignited a passion for inter-club competition that hadn’t previously existed. This enthusiasm not only caught the attention of the nationwide sailing community but also regional and nationwide media.

With a TV live stream as well as in-depth race analysis provided by SAP Sailing Analytics, fans and indeed anyone interested in sailing can follow each race of the National Sailing Leagues in real time on the internet. A panel of sailing experts and professional TV presenters bring all the action and excitement directly to people’s homes and sailing clubs around the country.

How to build a national sailing league?
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