The SSL Ranking has just been updated, showing the latest standings in sailing. It is refreshed every week, from Monday night to Tuesday morning, and it includes separate lists for global ranking (individual ranking of the sailors for skippers and crew), women, men, and nations.
The ranking is now available at a new address: here, featuring a brand-new calculation engine that we have been developing over the past several months.
The ranking is modeled after the ATP tennis ranking, making it easy for fans to see who the top sailors and strongest nations are at any time. Its main purpose is to reward athletes for their performance over the year. Around 20,000 inshore regattas are held annually, and the results from these events are used to calculate points. The ranking is especially important for selecting sailors for the SSL Gold Cup, where only the top athletes qualify.
The SSL Ranking aims to promote sailors and their skills while creating a fair and comprehensive classification. At the same time, it serves as an attractive communication tool for fans, helping to make racing exciting and understandable. Every regatta on the circuit matters because points earned contribute to the overall ranking, giving meaning to each competition.
Points are calculated using a mathematical system that considers several factors. The type of event is important: the biggest points come from the Olympic Games, the America’s Cup, and the SSL Gold Cup & Finals, while smaller international, national, regional, and local events contribute fewer points. The class of the boat also matters, from Olympic and World Sailing classes like Finn, TP52, or Optimist, to other types such as the MC Scow. Additionally, the ranking takes into account whether the competition is open or restricted and how recent the results are, so the points reflect current performance.
In this way, the SSL Ranking is more than just a list; it is a tool to highlight the best sailors in the world, create excitement around every regatta, and prepare the top athletes for the season’s most important competitions.