Wintersports Hackathon Winners solve key industry challenges with creativity and innovation.

The Winter Sports Industry has been severely tested by the aftermath of the COVID-19 pandemic that has turned fans away from live events. Stakeholders are in search of innovative solutions that expand the remote viewing experience, connecting fans with each other and with the athletes during the TV show

The HYPE UniTrento Wintersports Hackathon, organized by the I-Star institute of the University of Trento and HYPE Sports Innovation with the partnership of two big players of the Winter Sports industry, Swiss Timing and the European Broadcasting Union took place in a completely virtual environment during the 7th and 8th of June. 

10 Teams from around the world were tasked with a mission of extracting from sensors, data and video sequences useful information, metrics, and comparisons in order to improve/innovate fan engagement systems. Other Hackathon focuses included:

• Fan Engagement Platforms 
• Education using Winter Sports Data
• New Data Visualization Experience (for both onsite and home spectators)

Throughout the hackathon teams were guided and motivated with mentors and numerous keynote speakers, sharing industry insights and best practices working towards innovative solutions.

From the scientific and technical perspective, all teams have contributed to the hackathon at the highest standards, bringing their positive vibe and making this experience unique. We have seen novel ideas in the field of data visualization, streaming and sharing, interaction, computer vision, use of sound, implemented through web-based and mobile solutions. The inspiring talks by Jürg Capol (FIS), Christophe Grasso (Swiss Timing), Robert Portman (EBU), and Amir Raveh (HYPE) have boosted the innovation potential, providing the teams with new fuel to aim higher. The spirit was high, and despite being an online event, right after breaking the ice, everyone was enjoying the 36 hours run in a relaxed and friendly environment. 

The Final Winners:

Team HiFLYERS and team BETHEONES, led by Blaz Jakopin and Andrea Lazzaro respectively. Both bringing interactive and engaging visual platforms to enhance the live viewers experience from home and on the site itself! Bravo 👏 👏 👏

 About Swiss Timing:

“Swiss Timing, a Swatch Group company, is one of the world’s leading sports timekeepers. Its global reputation is based on an unparalleled range of services and a legacy of innovation. Swiss Timing not only provides timekeeping, data handling, and results distribution, it is also behind the development of the industry’s most important technology. For more than 40 years, Swiss Timing has been one of the most trusted and innovative names in sport.”

About EBU:

The European Broadcasting Union (EBU) is the world’s leading alliance of public service media (PSM). We have 115 member organizations in 56 countries and have an additional 31 Associates in Asia, Africa, Australasia and the Americas. Our Members operate nearly 2,000 television, radio and online channels and services, and offer a wealth of content across other platforms. Together they reach an audience of more than one billion people around the world, broadcasting in more than 160 languages. We operate Eurovision and Euroradio services.