World Sailing launches ground-breaking Sustainability Sessions

World Sailing launches ground-breaking Sustainability Sessions © World Sailing

World Sailing is launching a ground-breaking six-month series of webinars designed to empower Member National Authorities, classes, event organisers, sailing clubs and anyone involved in the sport to improve their sustainability.

The 'Sustainability Sessions' will be free, open to anyone, expert-led and cover topics including:

• Mega-fauna strikes, where boats collide with large marine fish or animals.
• Biosecurity, ensuring boats and other equipment is cleaned appropriately to prevent environmental damage.
• Life-cycle assessments, enabling better choices of sailing equipment.
• Inclusion initiatives, helping our sport become more diverse.

You can sign up for the first session here

The series starts on 18th October with a Sustainability Session on best practices for regattas and classes, entitled Clean Regattas and Classes and led by Sailors for the Sea, an ocean conservation organisation that engages, educates and activates the sailing and boating community toward restoring ocean health.

Future Sustainability Sessions will feature Marine Shift 360, designers of an equipment life cycle assessment tool designed specifically for the marine industry, 11th Hour Racing Team and the Magenta Project.

Alexandra Rickham, World Sailing Head of Sustainability, said: "As sailors as sailors we are acutely aware of changes to the environment and, as sailors, we take seriously our responsibility to act in the interests of the communities with whom we share the waters of the world.

"Our sport can be proud of the progress we have made since World Sailing launched Sustainability Agenda 2030, our strategy for sailing's contribution to global sustainability, in 2018.

"Sailing has become a byword for sustainability in sport thanks to work being done at every level. From elite competitions like SailGP and the America's Cup, to your local boat club, there are huge efforts to make our sport more sustainable. But there is so much more still to do.

"Now, we are launching the first season of the Sustainability Sessions for anyone who would like to learn more. The Sustainability Sessions will be open, collaborative, expert-led and an opportunity for everyone in the sport to get involved."

The full list of the first season of Sustainability Sessions:

2023:

• 18 October - Clean Regattas and Classes with Sailors for the Sea
• 1 November - Getting Starts with Sustainability with The Toolbox
• 8 November - Life Cycle Assessments with Marine Shift 360
• 29 November - Sustainable Sailing Club, expert lead to be announced
• 6 December - Inclusive and Accessible Sailing with Jens Kroker

2024:

• 10 January - Sustainable Events, expert lead to be announced
• 24 January - Megafauna strikes with 11th Hour Racing Team
• 7 February - Fighting Plastic Pollution with Unplastify
• 21 February - Biosecurity with the International Union for Conservation of Nature
• 6 March - Female Empowerment with The Magenta Project
• 20 March - Safeguarding with World Sailing safeguarding lead.