Into action Two birds with one (Aussie) stone... why not?
Stacey Jackson had a vision of putting a team of professional female sailors together to compete in the 74th Rolex Sydney Hobart Yacht Race, then using the biggest event in Australia’s sailing calendar as a platform to elevate the message of sustainability, raise awareness of the need to restore ocean health, and inspire action for positive change. This vision was supported by two principal backers; the Oatley family who provided the Reichel/Pugh 66 Wild Oats X, and 11th Hour Racing, the team’s sponsor, which promotes ocean health through strategic partnerships within sailing communities. The team, Ocean Respect Racing, came together with 68 Hobart races and 21 laps of the planet between them. The focus was on winning the race, inspiring future generations of young sailors and promoting environmental responsibility. This powerful initiative was born from viewing first-hand the scale of the problem of ocean health, as Jackson outlined just before the race start. ‘I was motivated by the amount of debris I came across in the ocean during my two Volvo Ocean Races around the planet - that really hits
72 SEAHORSE
you; an eye-opener was where I saw it, not even close to land, confirming that pollution really does travel vast distances. What became very important to me was the educational work that we did with Vestas 11th Hour Racing, and why it is vital to reduce single-use plastics and look after our oceans’ health. I became highly involved with the activations that we carried out at the various stopovers around the world, and at the end of the Volvo Ocean Race I knew that I wanted to continue this work. I returned home to Australia to find a large number of yacht clubs using plastic cups, plastic water bottles and plastic straws. My home – which is a beautiful country and wonderful place to live – is somewhat behind with this issue. People are still buying bottled water in supermarkets or service stations, and takeaway coffees in single-use cups, rather than carrying their own bottle or keep- cup. I think we can help spread the message that change can be achieved one degree at a time. We all have to start small and work big, particularly in the sailing industry with single-use plastics.
‘So in mid 2018 I started working
Above: after witnessing first-hand the shocking amount of debris that litters our oceans
during her two Volvo Ocean Races, Stacey Jackson decided to raise
awareness of the
problem by putting together an all-female professional racing team to compete in the 2018 Sydney
Hobart race, with help from 11th Hour Racing and the
Oatley family
on this new project, which became Ocean Respect Racing, connecting with women whom I knew would get involved if I got it up and running. I then approached Sandy Oatley from the family who owns Wild Oats X and XI, and suggested an all-female team in the Rolex Sydney Hobart Yacht Race – would he be interested in having a conversation about this? Sandy immediately responded in a highly positive way, supporting us by loaning Wild Oats X and taking care of all the race preparations, which was a truly fantastic gesture and one that enabled this project to evolve into a partnership with Wild Oats Yachting and 11th Hour Racing. ‘The Oatley family is highly supportive of this message, which they are implementing on Hamilton Island – one of Australia’s most spectacular holiday destinations in the heart of the Great Barrier Reef – in the push to reduce single-use plastics and the overall impact of their operations on the surrounding environment. One of the critical data you have to remember is that current research shows that by 2050, if we don’t create significant change, there will be more plastic in the
OCEAN RESPECT RACING/SALTY DINGO MEDIA
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