Mycoremediation was one of this year’s additions to the competition. A floating tube filled with mushrooms was placed near a fueling station where coach boats gas up, and the mushroom’s mycelium breaks down any fuel that is spilt. The technology has been shown to be effective in soil and freshwater, and the Hempel competition was an opportunity to try it in seawater.
“Our Sustainability Agenda 2030 is an ambitious long-term strategy agreed by all of our members which sets out how the sport will contribute to the United Nation’s Sustainable Development Goals,” Dan Reading, World Sailing’s Programme manager said. “Whilst we’re just getting started in the delivery of our 56 different targets, the Hempel Sailing World Championship gives us the opportunity to work with our partners on a number of initiatives that we can replicate and evolve for our future events.”