Emirates Great Britain SailGP Team have retained the Impact League trophy for a second straight year, showing that their ambitions stretch well beyond the racecourse and into real action for the planet and for people.
The Impact League runs across SailGP's entire season, rewarding teams that take measurable steps toward environmental protection and greater inclusivity within the sport. This year's competition involved 48 project submissions, assessed by 20 judges across 114 hours of scoring.
Emirates GBR delivered strong results in all four Focus Areas: Race to Zero Waste, Accelerating Inclusion, Climate Action and Breaking Boundaries. That all-round consistency, rather than excellence in a single category, was what ultimately sealed the title.
The breadth of their work throughout the season was considerable. They expanded their Young Development programme, supporting athlete Kai Hockley into a full-time role, and partnered with the 1851 Trust to deliver inclusion-focused education. More than 350 hours of on-water training were provided to underrepresented youth sailors across the season. The team also worked to reduce waste by reusing and rebranding kit, partnered with Goodwall to reach 250,000 young people with climate education content, and continued generating clean energy at events through portable solar installations provided by purpose partner Low Carbon.
Sir Ben Ainslie, Emirates GBR CEO and co-owner, reflected on what the win means to the team. "I'm so proud of the team for winning the Impact League for the second year running," he said. "Each season, the team puts an incredible amount of effort into delivering projects that can make a real difference and this year we've had some big results. We've expanded our partnership with the Greig City Academy in north London to get more students into the marine industry, put on foiling academies in Weymouth for people of all abilities, and partnered with Goodwall and the 1851 Trust to educate young people on STEM and climate change. As a team, we want to make positive impacts both on and off the water, and the back-to-back Impact League win is a testament to this."
SailGP Chief Purpose Officer Fiona Morgan was equally warm in her praise. "What an achievement for the Emirates Great Britain SailGP Team winning the Impact League for the second year running," she said, "a standout example of their long-term commitment and passion across the team to drive meaningful change. Their consistency and leadership set a powerful example of what's possible when purpose and performance go hand in hand."
With the Mubadala Abu Dhabi Sail Grand Prix 2025 Season Grand Final, presented by Abu Dhabi Sports Council, now on the horizon, Emirates GBR head into the event in pole position in the SailGP Championship standings. Should they claim both titles, they would become the first team in the competition's history to win the SailGP Championship and the Impact League in the same season.
The stories from the rest of the field were equally compelling. Mubadala Brazil, competing in their very first Impact League season and led by Martine Grael, the championship's first-ever female driver, finished in an impressive second place overall.
Their programme included restoration work on Rio's Pombeba Island and climate initiatives reaching into the city's favelas. Brazil also claimed top spot in the Breaking Boundaries Focus Area, underpinned by a 50% female-led offshore leadership team and the introduction of a new female foiling clinic.
NorthStar SailGP Team rounded out a strong season of their own, reaching the podium in three Focus Areas and taking first place in Climate Action. Their headline project saw 2,000 eelgrass shoots planted in Halifax alongside local youth sailors and scientists, an initiative judges singled out for its targeted, community-driven approach to creating genuine environmental impact.
