SailGP Champions for Change - Flagship Event Alongside

SailGP champions a world powered by nature. The world’s most exciting race on water came to Christchurch, New Zealand in March.

Aligned with the main event, SailGP’s Champions for Change global thought leadership programme is at the heart of SailGP’s vision towards a better sport and a better planet.

Taking place at Te Pae Christchurch Convention Centre, the day before the race weekend, SailGP’s flagship event brought together over 120 leaders and sustainability champions to share expertise and innovations and talk about their approach to climate action and inclusivity in sport.

ChristchurchNZ leveraged the event’s major international profile to put the spotlight on local climate action, innovation and technology, and showcased its world-leading prowess at New Zealand’s first new-generation convention centre in the heart of the city.

“This was a unique event, with a truly authentic commitment to environmental and social good, mirroring the same guiding principles as our city. This was a chance to showcase some amazing local innovators, and to capture the strong sense of purpose here. We learned so much from SailGP and we can take much from it going forward.”
ChristchurchNZ CEO, Ali Adams.

The SailGP championships features nine national teams battling in short, intense races at iconic stadium-style venues across the globe, building to the grand final in San Francisco in May 2023 – and sailing’s top prize of US$ 1 million.

The high-tech, high-speed action features sailing’s best athletes racing in identical hydrofoiling F50 catamarans, flying at speeds exceeding 60mph.

As host city for the inaugural ITM New Zealand Sail Grand Prix, Ōtautahi, Christchurch put on a spectacular show on Whakaraupō, Lyttelton Harbour. Across two days, the action-packed entertainment attracted over 15,000 people to the event, with an estimated audience of 50 million watching the event worldwide. The city ran free ferries and public transport for ticket holders and a SailGP dedicated shuttle service to allow spectators easy access to the action on Lyttelton harbour.

SailGP's ambition is to be the world's most sustainable and purpose-driven global sports and entertainment platform. The event champions a world powered by nature, with the goal to combat climate change and accelerate the transition to clean energy.

The Champions for Change event has taken place across five cities in the previous 10 months - San Francisco, Bermuda, Copenhagen, Singapore, Sydney – before Christchurch, New Zealand.

“Purpose is important. Athletes have a huge share of voice, and we wanted to use that. We are a climate positive sport – the first sport to use this framework with science-based best practices, and the first sport to disclose emissions. Our goal is to be powered by clean energy by 2025.”
Tom Verity, SailGP Onboard Operations Transition Manager

In Christchurch, ocean health and renewable energy – two very relevant themes for New Zealand, were to the fore. The city has a wealth of knowledge and intellectual property in these areas, and this was an opportunity for New Zealand to lead the world.

By hosting Champions for Change, ChristchurchNZ joined an exclusive network of engaged partners and host cities, committed to delivering impact and collaborating to accelerate change together. This was Christchurch’s chance to join other world capitals and showcase local and globally acclaimed innovation.

As the region’s economic development agency, ChristchurchNZ has a big part to play in helping to foster and promote sustainability initiatives to help achieve the target to halve the city’s emissions by 2030 and reach net zero emissions by 2045.

Te Pae Christchurch Convention Centre was a fitting venue, recently announcing its bid to be a carbon-zero venue by mid 2024. It has committed to reducing its environmental footprint and becoming a certified Toitū net carbonzero organisation.

“For Te Pae, sustainability and sustainable operations go beyond just measuring waste and offsetting carbon emissions. It’s about legacy – what we leave behind for future generations, and how we instil values that will ensure we are not only environmentally sensitive but leading the way in this area for years to come.”
Ross Steele, GM, Te Pae Christchurch.

SailGP’s Impact League is its second podium - a world-first initiative that sees teams compete for a second championship based on their sustainability credentials.

The Impact League has a set of sustainability criteria - social and environmental - to operate against with each team awarded points based on its fulfilment of these criteria.

The criteria range from pioneering new technologies focusing on clean energy solutions and removing all single-use plastics, to diversity and inclusion and using the team's voice for good.

New Zealand is the defending champion of the Impact League and is partnering with LiveOcean Foundation to give its winnings to support exceptional marine scientists, innovators and communicators who play a vital role in the fight for a healthy future.

Champions for Change created a unique networking opportunity for local and New Zealand companies to share their cutting-edge technology and ideas around the key themes of ocean health and renewable energy.

The engaging and inspiring programme saw local innovators, leaders and sustainability champions talk about their approach to tackling the climate crisis and share valuable insights and learnings, and strategies for protecting the oceans. Following a locally sourced, plant-based lunch at Te Pae, participants were given an exclusive technical tour of the racing base.

Participants were global and local partners with a particular interest in innovation, technology and partnerships in regard to climate change, climate action student leaders from local secondary schools, business leaders and sustainability champions from global partners and local NGOs.

“The spirit of the event is one of positivity, open discussion, collaboration, and creating an impact. We aim for all of our guests to gain knowledge and understanding of the sustainability space through the content and hopefully look to make changes within their own businesses to progress (or potentially start) their own sustainability journey.”
Tom Verity, SailGP Onboard Operations Transition Manager

“Each event is planned and audited against ISO targets. We align with suppliers who reflect our processes – for example, all food is sourced from within 100km and no red meat.
Rosie Hamilton, Sail GP Sustainable Events Operations Manager.

SailGP brought a myriad of benefits for the city.

SailGP’s Local Impact Project in Christchurch involved restoration of the Ōmaru stream in partnership with ChristchurchNZ and local iwi Te Hapū o Ngāti Wheke, Rāpaki. As well, $1.50 from each ticket sold was given to local climate projects.

The SailGP Inspire community outreach programme is the biggest sailing programme for young people, inspiring the next generation, helping to diversify the sport of sailing without race, gender or socioeconomic barriers.

Local Christchurch young people were given the chance to join the SailGP Inspire Learning Elements to demonstrate how it is possible to live in a world powered by wind, water, sun and earth. They were given practical hands-on learning activities as well as a real life example of how SailGP is racing for a better future, championing a world powered by nature.

“Sport has the power to change the world. It has the power to inspire”
Nelson Mandela.

eClean Envirotech has created eClean bioreactors which filter out nitrates, phosphates and other contaminants from water. Developed in Christchurch, the devices are intended for use in low-flow environments such as farm drainage channels, streams and lakes, and are a game-changer for water quality.

Kea Aerospace is the only high-altitude flight company based in the Southern Hemisphere. This Christchurch-founded company is creating solar-powered stratospheric aircraft to give insights from the stratosphere that will improve life on our planet.

Styles Group has developed technology to detect and monitor sensitive marine environments. Styles’ ‘real time’ acoustic buoy was put to good use in Lyttelton Harbour as part of SailGPs comprehensive marine mammal detection programme. Racing was halted when pods of dolphins were detected in the water near the yachts.

Naut has created electric marine technology with zero emissions, and zero noise.

Lincoln University’s B.linc Innovation focuses on what’s next for Aotearoa New Zealand’s agriculture, food and fibre sector.

Live Ocean Foundation
Sally Paterson, Chief Executive
The foundation set up by Kiwi sailors Peter Burling and Blair Tuke is on a mission to scale up marine science, innovation and outreach using sport as a powerful platform for conservation issues.

Fabrum
Chris Boyle, Co-founder and Chairman
Fabrum Solutions is focused on renewable energy and has pioneered liquid hydrogen as a future fuel, and already being adopted by the aviation, and heavy transport industries. In the marine world, they have helped create hydrogen-powered chase boats for Emirates Team New Zealand developed in Christchurch.

Christchurch Antarctic Gateway
David Tayler, Head of Christchurch Antarctic Gateway
Christchurch is a gateway to the Southern Ocean, Ross Sea and Antarctica.
Antarctica is a barometer for understanding climate change. Through science, innovation and collaboration Christchurch is uniquely positioned to inspire others. With 75 businesses in the Christchurch Antarctic Network, Christchurch is home to Antarctica New Zealand, the United States Antarctic Program, and Italy and Korea all served from Christchurch. Work closely with Christchurch Airport to establish sustainable transport solutions.

Alvarium, Pathfinder
John Berry, Chief Executive
As part of the global Alvarium network, international wealth management business
and sponsor of New Zealand’s SailGP boat, Pathfinder has established the Global Water Fund. This ethical Kiwisaver provider gives 20 per cent of all Kiwisaver management fees back to charity and invests ethically in balanced investment in new technologies that help the planet.

Aspiring Materials
Allan Scott Co-Founder
Aspiring has pioneered emissions reduction technologies. They have developed a simple carbon negative process that converts (olivine) rock – found around the world – into silica, iron ore and magnesium hydroxide and can correct ocean acidification.