European Dream Cup: the first activities have started for young European sailors
by European Dream Cup 3 Jul 2023 18:30 BST
1-15 July 2023
European Dream Cup: the first activities have started for young European sailors © Mars Entertainment 2023
The highly anticipated European Dream Cup has started at Circolo Velico di Gargnano on Lake Garda, captivating participants with its packed program of activities and seminars.
Sustainability partner, One Ocean Foundation, has taken the initiative to organize several engaging events aimed at raising awareness about ocean pollution, with a particular focus on plastic and microplastic pollution, in line with the global movement "Plastic Free July." This movement, originating in Australia, encourages individuals worldwide to make conscious choices to reduce their environmental impact. Notably, the Plastic Free July organization was honored with the United Nations SDG Action Awards in 2021.
In addition to the informative panels set up at CV Gargnano, the following activities are scheduled:
- Beach Clean-up: On July 4 at 10 a.m., One Ocean Foundation will lead a beach clean-up at CV Gargnano beach, involving the 60 athletes participating in the event. The athletes will be educated about water pollution issues and divided into teams to collect waste. At the conclusion of the clean-up, an award will be presented to the team that collects the most waste. CV Gargnano, in collaboration with the municipality, will manage the proper disposal of the waste.
- Learning Session: On July 5 at 10 a.m., a learning session will be held for the young athletes. Experts from One Ocean Foundation will deliver a concise lesson to the 60 athletes in attendance, highlighting the significance of the ocean and the preservation of marine ecosystems. The session will also feature a presentation on collaborative initiatives with the Denmark SailGP Team presented by Rockwool. One Ocean Foundation is partner of the Danish SailGP Team for the Impact League, a special SailGP ranking that evaluates teams based on sustainability. The Danish team are currently on the lead. Following the talk, a short multiple-choice quiz will assess the students' learning. Throughout the European Dream Cup, One Ocean Foundation will also offer a digital quiz, utilizing the Kahoot app, to test participants' knowledge of ocean-related topics. The foundation's team of volunteers will oversee this activity, engaging children by providing tablets for them to complete the quiz. The questionnaires' results will be automatically collected by One Ocean Foundation via an online form and shared with CV Gargnano.
- Charity Party: On the evening of July 14, One Ocean Foundation, as the Sustainability Partner, will host a Charity Party at CV Gargnano, inviting all participating teams. The event will also be open to the public, aiming to raise funds for ocean conservation projects. During the gathering, the teams will be invited to sign the Charta Smeralda, One Ocean Foundation's code of ethics, and the winner of the More Speed Less Plastic - Young initiative will be announced.
These events run parallel to the thrilling sporting regatta, featuring 10 teams from 10 nations, sailing aboard the cutting-edge 69F boats. These state-of-the-art carbon vessels, equipped with full-foiling capabilities, gracefully fly above the water's surface. After a week of training with 69F Sailing professionals, the young sailors will engage in competitive racing during the second week of the event, from July 8th to 14th.
To capture the teams' achievements, 69F's boat tracking system will record the highest speed attained by each team daily. One Ocean Foundation has pledged to collect 10 kilograms of trash from heavily polluted areas for every knot of speed achieved by the fastest team on any given day, mirroring the existing procedure at SailGP events.
As the event concludes, CV Gargnano will pass the baton to the Royal Danish Yacht Club, the next host of this new event, the European Dream Cup.
More info at www.europeandreamcup.eu