Future of sustainability in our sport

by Emily Conklin, Sailors for the Sea
With Clean Regattas hosted in 53 countries around the world, we rarely get the opportunity to see our organizers face-to-face. Most of our work supporting events happens virtually, and we’ve gotten to know hundreds of clubs without ever stepping foot inside them. This is part of why it was such a treat to attend this year’s World Sailing Conference in Dun Laoghaire, Ireland, an annual gathering of the sailing industry’s key stakeholders to discuss the future of the sport.

World Sailing is a close partner in our mission to activate and empower the sailing community to restore ocean health, and this year’s conference was no exception. Sustainability was front and center across all sessions we were lucky enough to attend. Our week started with a workshop hosted during the Development Symposium, a series of sessions dedicated to shaping the future of the sport. This year, the theme was “One Sport, One Future: Innovation, Inclusion, and Impact”.

Our workshop on Clean Regattas and the Clean Class Initiative fit right in with the inspiring discussions shaping a bright future for sailing. While I spoke about our organization and programs, as well as our collaboration with World Sailing, the main focus was gaining feedback from attendees. In the room, there was a mixture of seasoned Clean Regattas organizers from around the world as well as folks who were learning about the program for the first time.

Together, we discussed the hurdles they face, successes they’ve had, and what resources they need to achieve their sustainability goals in the future. Whether they are just embarking on their sustainability journey or about to run their annual event aiming for Platinum Level Certification, understanding the needs of event organizers is at the core of the Clean Regattas program. Thanks to this discussion, we left the workshop armed with new strategies to improve our impact. – Full Story