The LIFE Recreation ReMEDIES Project, in which The RYA’s Green Blue initiative played a key partnership role, has been named the winner of the World Sailing 11th Hour Racing Impact Award.

The ReMEDIES project brought together leading conservation organisations and the recreational boating community to restore and protect vulnerable seagrass meadows and maerl beds across five Special Areas of Conservation along England’s southern coastline.

Recognised as the “highest recommendation of success” in marine sustainability, World Sailing’s 11th Hour Racing Impact Award honours projects that demonstrate exceptional impact, innovation, and replicability in line with World Sailing’s Sustainability Agenda 2030.

Kate Fortnam, RYA Sustainability Manager said: “We are delighted that the ReMEDIES Project has been recognised with the World Sailing 11th Hour Racing Impact Award”

 “Seagrass—often described as the ‘lungs of the sea’—plays a vital role in maintaining a healthy marine ecosystem, and this award highlights the importance of protecting these essential habitats.”

The World Sailing Awards held in Dublin, also celebrated an impressive roster of finalists, including America’s Cup winners, world champions, and trailblazers in inclusive and offshore sailing. Among them was Jazz Turner, the inspirational para-inclusive sailor shortlisted for Female World Sailor of the Year after completing her record-breaking solo, non-stop, unassisted circumnavigation of the British Isles earlier this year.

Final award decisions were determined through a combination of public voting and expert judging, each accounting for 50% of the overall result.

More about the project

The LIFE Recreation ReMEDIES Project (2019–2024) is a landmark collaboration uniting conservation bodies and the recreational boating community to restore and protect fragile seagrass meadows and maerl beds across five Special Areas of Conservation in southern England.

Funded by the EU LIFE Programme and led by Natural England with partners including the RYA through its environmental programme, the RYA Green Blue, Ocean Conservation Trust, Marine Conservation Society and Plymouth City Council the project bridges the gap between environmental stewardship and sport.

Seagrass habitats are critical carbon stores, biodiversity hotspots, and natural defences against coastal erosion. Yet, they face mounting pressures from human activity. ReMEDIES addressed this challenge through practical restoration, sustainable infrastructure, and community engagement. Eight hectares of seagrass were restored using innovative planting techniques, 17 Advanced eco-Mooring Systems (AMS) were installed to protect seabed, and three voluntary no-anchor zones were created.

Alongside these physical interventions, the project reached over 29,000 people through 560+ outreach events, engaged more than 7,000 schoolchildren in marine education, and trained over 2,427boaters and young sailors in sustainable anchoring practices.

Uptake of AMS rose from 5% to 22% between 2021 and 2024, while boaters pledging to avoid anchoring in seagrass increased from 17% to 41%. By embedding environmental responsibility into recreational boating culture, the project enhanced biodiversity, improved water quality, and demonstrated that sport can be a catalyst for conservation. The legacy of ReMEDIES continues through new restoration projects and the ongoing adoption of its tools and guidance in the UK and internationally.

The RYA Green Blue have more information about anchoring and mooring and how to protect ecosystems