The Marine Megafauna in Sailing Guidelines have been shortlisted for the 2026 Sport Positive Awards in the Biodiversity category, the second consecutive year MMAG has earned a finalist spot. Last year's recognition covered the establishment of the Marine Mammal Advisory Group itself. This year's celebrates the publication and global implementation of the Guidelines.
Built around MMAG's six-pillar risk mitigation strategy, the Guidelines translate complex marine science into practical action, offering event organisers, race officials, and sailors concrete tools to reduce the risk of vessel strikes on whales, dolphins, turtles, manatees, and other protected species. The resource includes operational guidance, real-world case studies, implementation tools, and a companion Quick Guide for on-the-water use.
MMAG co-founder Damian Foxall welcomed the recognition as a collective achievement. "The Marine Megafauna in Sailing Guidelines provide a science-based strategy that enables event organisers and sailors to make informed decisions that reduce strike risk to marine wildlife," he said, adding that "this Sport Positive Award recognition belongs to the remarkable community of scientists, conservation practitioners, sailing organisations, and sailors themselves whose expertise and collaboration made this resource possible."
World Sailing CEO David Graham pointed to the Guidelines as evidence that environmental policy can take practical hold across a global sport. "Working alongside MMAG, we have been able to embed biodiversity into official sailing guidance, giving event organisers and sailors practical tools to incorporate marine wildlife protection into everyday operations. It is an important step toward consistent, sport-wide adoption of evidence-based environmental policy."
Distributed to all World Sailing Member National Authorities, classes, and events, the Guidelines have already influenced how major competitions operate. The Ocean Race has incorporated marine megafauna considerations into race routing and operational planning, the Newport Bermuda Race has strengthened hazard reporting protocols, and the St. Maarten Heineken Regatta has explored live acoustic monitoring solutions to improve marine wildlife awareness during breeding season.
New Zealand features strongly across the wider 2026 shortlist. Yachting New Zealand's RŪNĀ initiative has been shortlisted in the Education and Training category for combining classroom teaching with hands-on sailing experiences and real-world environmental investigations for students aged 8 to 15.
The Emirates Great Britain SailGP Team's partnership with kitround has been recognised in the Purpose-Led Partnership category. When the team's kit sponsor changed in December 2025, they worked with kitround to redistribute 200 items of crew teamwear responsibly in just eight weeks, putting them on sale at attractive prices and raising money for the team's official charity.
