Exeter Uni sailing club wins top sustainability award

They made waves in sustainability!

7 hours ago

The University of Exeter’s Sailing Club achieved a significant environmental triumph, winning the RYA Green Blue University Sailing Sustainability Challenge 2025.

The RYA Dinghy & Watersports Show last month celebrated Exeter students for leading the way in sustainable sailing.

The sustainability challenge, sponsored by the Royal Thames Yacht Club, highlights university sailing clubs that are adopting key environmental best practices. These include initiatives such as beach cleans, equipment reuse, waste reduction, and raising awareness in local communities.

The University of Exeter Sailing Club proudly claimed first prize for its dedication to protecting freshwater environments and promoting sustainability. As a result, the club received a Spirit 1.0 Plus electric outboard motor, which will help reduce carbon emissions in their sailing activities.

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Robin Alexander, a third-year Business and Management student and Secretary of the University of Exeter Sailing Club, said: “It’s fantastic. The best thing about this challenge is everyone at the club gets involved. The upgrade to the electric outboard motor will enable our club to use the safety boat more and minimise our impact on the environment.

“Sailing is a sport where we harness the power of nature and it’s imperative, we respect nature. We couldn’t be prouder.”

This year, the sustainability challenge introduced new judging criteria, emphasising eight key categories. These included water quality, biodiversity protection, outreach with young sailors, advocacy creation, and making events more environmentally sustainable.

Kate Fortnam, RYA Green Blue Campaigns Manager, said: “Once again, the students here have set the standards in demonstrating what can be achieved in a short time with little budget.

“Every small change we make as a club or an individual boat user can collectively have a greater environmental impact. What the students have accomplished together over the past few months is truly remarkable, each of them should be proud of their actions.”

The Green Blue is the RYA’s environmental outreach programme, designed to inspire, inform, and empower the boating community to make sustainable choices. It aims to protect and enhance both marine and inland environments for the benefit of people and nature.

A total of 17 university sailing clubs participated in the challenge, each pledging through the RYA Green Blue Boating Pledge to respect, protect, and enjoy marine and freshwater habitats.

Featured image via University of Exeter

Exeter Uni sailing club wins top sustainability award

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