April 13th, 2018

Race Organizers Partner with Sailors for the Sea to Go Green and Achieve Clean Regattas Certification

Fort Walton FL – April 18-22, 2018 – US Multihull Championship/WetaFest is proud to announce that they have joined the race to restore ocean health with Sailors for the Sea’s Clean Regattas program. The ocean is in crisis, every year, 8 million metric tons of plastic enters the ocean from land each year and 40% of the oceans are heavily affected by human activity, including pollution, overfishing and destructive fishing practices, and the loss of coastal habitats.

Clean Regattas is a certification system that enables sailors to protect their local waters with 25 Best Practices that make sustainability approachable and easy. This program is an effort by Sailors for the Sea raising the bar for environmental sustainability and ocean health around the world.

“We are thrilled that the US Multihull Championship/WetaFest is committed to serving as a model for responsible sailing,” said Robyn Albritton, Sustainability Director, Sailors for the Sea. “We are thrilled to support the US Multihull Championship/WetaFest in their efforts to educate participants on environmental protection. Working with the regatta, Sailors for the Sea will help to formalize their conservation efforts and help foster ocean friendly behavior.”

WetaFest kicked off in 2013 to get Weta sailors to start their sailing season at a One-Design regatta in warm, sunny Florida.

Fort Walton Yacht Club is dedicated to protecting the waters upon which we sail. According to Regatta Chair, Shari Seaton, “US Multihull Championship/WetaFest" is excited to implement the Clean Regattas Best Practices to reduce our environmental impact. We are also interested in raising awareness about the issues our ocean faces such as marine debris, chemical runoff and ocean acidification”.

The US Multihull Championship/WetaFest will undertake several efforts in their Clean Regattas campaign, including:
Requiring participants to bring their own reusable water bottle and coffee cup.
Eliminate straws.
Help by properly sorting all recycling and so we can minimize the amount of waste headed to the landfill.

For more information on the regatta, as well as on-line registration forms visit www.regattanetwork.com/event/15798

About Clean Regattas

Clean Regattas is the world’s only sustainability certification for water-based events. The program enables sailors to protect their local waters by empowering them with tips and resources to implement sustainability initiatives. Since 2006, over 800 Clean Regattas have been run in 22 countries and in over half of all the United States. To learn more contact Robyn Albritton ([email protected]) or visit sailorsforthesea.org.