The results are in! What's missing in sailing media?

A week ago we asked a simple question: what stops you following more of the sport, and what would make it easier?

The answers came back loud, specific, and slightly exasperated. The survey is still open if you want to have your say.

Here's what we learned…

This wasn't close. A whopping 78% of respondents said finding coverage is what stops them following more of the sport.

But 'hard to find' doesn't just mean 'not enough content'. Dig into the responses and you find people describing a scavenger hunt. Results scattered across niche sites, social accounts and event pages. No consistent place to check.

And when coverage does exist, it can often be shallow or ceremonial. People want the info you can’t get from press releases. Comments on America's Cup comms got particularly spicy: "Half the announcements are just announcing that they are announcing something."

We make no secret of the fact that without SailGP, The Foil wouldn't exist. A year-round calendar – with an off-season so short you barely notice it – means there’s always something happening, always someone to follow.

And it seems the majority of you agree. 38% of respondents said SailGP is the event they follow most.

It’s to sailing what F1 is to motorsport: consistent, well-packaged, and easy to keep up with month to month. Even people who'd rather be following dinghies or offshore still point to it as the 'headline act' of sailing.

A quick aside: Where’s SailGP dropping the ball?

It’s worth noting that fans kept coming back to one frustration: what they see on the screen.

To sum up what fans want from SailGP coverage:

• More sustained aerial/overhead and wide shots so they can read tacks, crossings, and separation. “Don't focus on close proximity and spray, give us the big picture.”
• More coverage of battles through the fleet, less leader-cam once someone escapes.
• Cleaner on-screen information that prioritises clarity over sponsor clutter and leaderboard jumps. One viewer compared it to watching “steel balls roll on a plank” because the broadcast moves too fast to know what’s going on.
• Better commentary and smarter editing to match the speed of the sport. Several people even floated the idea of a broadcast delay so the direction and comms can be sharper.

The underlying verdict: SailGP is doing a lot of things right, but many think the broadcast could be better. Clearly a big topic, and we'll dig into it properly in future.

Close behind was the America's Cup, with almost 1 in 3 votes. Not bad for an event that disappears for years at a time. The new America's Cup Partnership is supposed to fix that – more teams, more racing, more regular cycles. Time will tell.

After the Big Two it was a pretty even split between Olympic, offshore and dinghy racing for most-followed events, each with about 7-8% of votes.

No surprise that Olympic sailing struggles for year-round attention when it only comes around once every four years. But it doesn't have to be that way. Here's a couple of suggestions from respondents:

“From an Olympic perspective, a GP or World Cup series that actually mattered and fed into the bigger picture (e.g. Olympic qualification)”

“Only every 4 years isn't enough to drive regular interest. Perhaps the 49er or Nacra classes could have a consistent series which could build to the Olympics.”

When asked what part of sailing people follow most, some refused the premise. "Every part I can get my eyes on." "All of it."

Asked what event could tie the sport together, many said the same thing: there isn't one, and perhaps that's fine.

"Sailing is just too broad. You're asking for it to be like motorsport or cycling. It doesn't really happen." My personal favourite: "Sailing is a set of Christmas lights. It’s all just tangled with no structure."

Still, 'fragmented' doesn't have to mean 'unfollowable'…

Literally thousands of sail racing events take place every year. Hundreds of classes, all over the world, happening every week. That's sailing's blessing and curse: there's always something on, but good luck finding out what.

Which means it’s no surprise that 37% of respondents would like to see a central sailing calendar. Your one-stop-shop.

As one person commented: “This is a major thing that no digital platform in sailing has done.” Given everything we've just said, the reasons it doesn't yet exist are probably obvious.

But good news: we're having a crack at it.

What should this calendar include? Dates, links, past winners, results, conditions, filterable by discipline or region – these are all ideas we’ve been throwing around at The Foil HQ. And coverage of classes people feel are underserved: the 18ft skiffs, the Moths, Olympic classes between Games years, match racing, to name a few.

Sadly we can’t cover every event. You'd need a small army of reporters to do sailing justice. But if there's something you think deserves more attention, let us know.

→ What event goes under the radar but deserves a spot on The Foil calendar?

Now, say you know what's going on... how do you actually keep up with it all?

A weekly update on everything going on in the sailing world. That was the top answer for 'What would make sailing easier to follow week-to-week?', with 55%.

The message was clear: make it easier to stay informed. Cover the big stuff, but also surface the wider world of dinghy and keelboat racing, and show how all the different levels connect.

One person pointed to F1-style ladder storytelling as the model: "Coverage of those at the bottom of the ladder (FRECA, F3, F2 etc) go a long way in promoting the rising stars. It's always good to see recognition of those doing great things in their own worlds."

We already publish a Weekly Wrap every Monday. Now it's about refining the format. And some of you want to listen, not read. “You guys chatting through the week’s developments”. A podcast-style roundup is something you should see very soon.

47% of respondents want more video to stay up to date.

But not just any video… People are looking for video with substance – explanation, context, and insight. Not just pretty footage, but footage that teaches you something.

No surprises there – video is king. Soon I’ll be out of a job…

We launched The Foil a month ago. Early days, but we're excited about where this is going.

So one last thing: if we built one place you'd check weekly, what must it include?

→ Let us know here