Denmark SailGP Team has announced an innovative collaboration with SailGP and Kongelig Dansk Yachtklub to deliver a first-ever Junior Impact League in sports at the 29er European Championships later this month.
The regatta – which will welcome more than 200 top young sailors from all over Europe – will take place in Copenhagen, just six weeks before the Danish capital welcomes SailGP for the ROCKWOOL Denmark Sail Grand Prix on 19-20 August.
Denmark SailGP Team presented by ROCKWOOL has joined forces with SailGP and regatta host club, KDY, to create a comprehensive sustainability league with clear criteria for young competitors from across the continent to take sustainable action.
“It’s fantastic that the Danish team is setting this example to the next generation of sailors, inspired by our SailGP Impact League initiative,” said Rosie Gosling, SailGP’s Impact League Project Manager.
“For the 29er European Championships, we have created a fun, inclusive and accessible sustainability programme that we hope will inspire and engage young athletes to do their bit, taking action to reduce footprint and deliver positive impact through sport.”
The mini Impact League has been designed in collaboration with SailGP who created the concept in 2021. It is based on the global racing league’s unique sustainability league , launched as part of its Race For The Future initiative, that creates a second leaderboard, and at the end of the season awards two champions, one for racing and one for the planet.
The framework will challenge young sailors across ten key areas, including strategy, tech and innovation, waste management, and purpose communication, during the week-long event in Copenhagen.
“In SailGP, we complete a comprehensive audit at every event, which measures our positive impact across multiple key criteria,” explains Christian Peter Lübeck, who races for the Denmark SailGP Team, and is also part of the KDY Sustainability Committee.
“This mini Impact League is inspired by that, covering many of the same areas, and puts sustainability at the heart of the 29er regatta.”
He continues: “As Danish sailors, sustainability is in our DNA, and we’re really excited to be able to work together with the next generation to showcase that it is possible to deliver large-scale regattas in a responsible and positive way.”
For Season 3, Denmark SailGP Team and ROCKWOOL have announced a global scientific partnership with One Ocean Foundation which will connect world-class sport, global business and cutting-edge science to accelerate solutions to protect and restore our ocean.
In addition to the mini Impact League, Denmark SailGP Team presented by ROCKWOOL has supported the installation of a DPOL waste collection machine at the KDY club in Tuborghavn to help combat ocean pollution.
“The International 29er Class is thrilled to partner with Denmark SailGP Team presented by ROCKWOOL and KDY on this important initiative,” adds Joan Mollerus, President of the 29er Class.
“Sustainability is mission critical for our sport and for the next generation. We are grateful that Denmark SailGP Team and KDY have created this exciting opportunity to engage our young sailors.”
Kongelig Dansk Yachtklub is one of Europe’s leading sustainable yacht clubs and follows the Clean Regatta certification system set by Sailors For The Sea.
The framework sets 20 goals in five categories, including elimination of single-use items, local involvement, responsible waste management, environmental responsibility and ‘green boating’ – taking care of the water and nature.
"The Royal Danish Yacht Club's Sustainable Committee's objective is to lead our yacht club to be the number one sustainable sailing club in Denmark by following the guidelines from Sailors for the Sea and the UN Sustainable Development Goals,” explains Søren Helmer Jensen, Royal Danish Yacht Club's Sustainability Committee.
“To achieve results, we plan our action and strategy with focus and thereby secure continuing small success with immediate and cumulative measurable results. We are proud to have these high sustainability goals, especially at the 29er Europeans, that hosts a young generation of sailors, who will feel the impact of the actions we make today.”
To learn more about the mini Impact League, competitors can visit https://sv.surveymonkey.com/r/TKBKD5Q
