With a strong tradition of canoeing, the people of Soca Valley in Solkan, Slovenia, have long been connected to the Soca River, whether for survival in the past or for the adrenaline-rush of the most widely practiced water sports in the country today. As one of two national centres for wild water kayaking and canoeing, the Canoe Centre on the Soca River attracts 30,000 visitors each year and acts as a training camp for several national teams.
To attract high-calibre International Canoe Federation (ICF) competitions, the Canoe Centre has deployed the Avigilon high-definition surveillance system as video analysis tool for coaches and judges to assist in training, resolve potential disputes, and ensure fair judging at all events.
Robust outdoor surveillance system
In the sport of wild water canoeing, competitors must pass through gates without touching them or an immediate time penalty is applied, which can dramatically impact results. These decisions are based on what judges can see and often end in dispute. After a heated argument at the 2010 World Championships, the Canoe Centre turned to AGM, a local provider of surveillance system design, installation, and support, for a reliable, scalable, cost-effective high-definition surveillance system that could withstand the outdoor environment and deliver indisputable evidence. “In wild water canoeing, the need for immediate access to irrefutable video for fair judging is critical,” said Andrej Grobisa, director at AGM. “To accommodate demanding environmental conditions, the Centre needed a solution that could provide exceptional image quality — the Avigilon high-definition surveillance system fit the bill.”
The Canoe Centre plans to deploy |
Instant viewing facility
The Canoe Centre installed Avigilon 2 MP H.264 HD cameras connected through a fibre-optic network, to cover the 400-meter course, enabling judges to clearly identify activity at all gates from any point of view. Coaches and judges monitor the Avigilon HD surveillance system using Avigilon Control Centre with HDSM. The Canoe Centre will also offer competing teams temporary access to live video and recorded events and will install a dedicated server to archive footage from all major events for historical review. The Canoe Centre plans to deploy the Avigilon Control Centre Mobile application on iPad devices to equip judges with a tool for instant review of incidents. “From the coaching point of view, Avigilon Control Centre Mobile will make it easier to share video with athletes for immediate performance analysis,” explained Branko Brezigar, sports centre manager at the Canoe Centre.
Clear picture quality in all weather conditions
“Image quality was the crucial factor in our decision to go with Avigilon,” said Brezigar. “The system captures the necessary detail to make informed and accurate decisions.” It was also important that the system provide a clear picture in all weather conditions. “The Avigilon system adapts the white balance and colour gamma to ensure the best image quality possible at all times.”
Ease-of-use was another selling feature of the Avigilon high-definition surveillance system, since most of the users are not IT specialists. “After a short training session our coaches and judges learned the system, which is intuitive and easy to manage,” explained Brezigar.
“For the first time, our judges feel |
Easy integration with existing security systems
Another important feature is that Avigilon easily integrates with the Centre’s existing event systems, including a Light as a Service system which comprises low-powered LED lamps and a set of sensors measuring wind speed, air temperature, and humidity to automate course illumination and extend training sessions into the evenings. The Canoe Centre will also integrate its access control system, intruder prevention system, and the remote control of the main entrance sliding door into the Avigilon high-definition surveillance system.
Because judges need to apply penalties in real time, it is imperative that they have access to clear, sharp video images to resolve possible disputes. “For the first time, our judges feel that they have an efficient tool to review questionable trajectories and resolve disputes with 100 percent accuracy,” claimed Brezigar. “As the only training facility to ensure 100 percent fair judging, we have a strong competitive advantage when applying to host major ICF events.”
Meeting high safety standards
The Avigilon high-definition surveillance system also offers a significant cost advantage over other surveillance systems. “Avigilon delivers a strong price-performance ratio,” said Brezigar. “And because the system is so easy to use, there is no need for us to hire additional gate judges to improve the quality of judging.” The Centre can also reduce system maintenance requirements for further cost savings.
“Avigilon delivers a strong ROI because we can offer enhanced training, conformance with ICF directives to host top level events, and ensure higher safety standards to improve operations and attract new visitors,” concluded Brezigar. “Offering exceptional functionality and amazing image quality at a reasonable cost, Avigilon is a partner we can rely on now and into the future.”
