The Black Foils have claimed the first win of the 2026 SailGP Impact League after leading a powerful campaign to protect some of New Zealand's most vulnerable marine ecosystems.
Recognized for their work away from the racecourse, the Kiwi team topped the standings in the first of this season's two Impact League focus areas, with judges praising a project that combined athlete advocacy, community action and political engagement to help drive meaningful change for ocean health.
As the world's first sustainability competition embedded within a global sports championship, the SailGP Impact League rewards teams for the positive environmental and social impact they create throughout the season, proving that performance isn't just measured by results on the water.
At the heart of the Black Foils' winning campaign was Swim4TheOcean, a 90-day, 1,367km endurance swim by ultra-distance swimmer Jono Ridler along New Zealand's North Island. Led by Black Foils co-CEO and Olympic champion Blair Tuke alongside ocean conservation charity Live Ocean, the initiative aimed to build public support for ending bottom trawling on seamounts in New Zealand's waters and across the South Pacific high seas.
The Black Foils rallied behind the challenge from start to finish, joining community events, supporting Ridler on the water and meeting with policymakers to push for stronger protections. The campaign culminated in a petition signed by more than 73,000 people being presented to New Zealand Parliament, calling for greater protection of fragile seamount ecosystems and an end to bottom trawling permits on the high seas.
The project also generated almost 400 million media impressions worldwide, helping shine a global spotlight on the issue.
"What Jono did is one of the greatest endurance feats of all time, but this was always more than just a swim. It was a platform to create change," said Blair Tuke.
"Swim4TheOcean was one of the most challenging and rewarding projects I've ever been involved in and I'm so proud of what was achieved. We saw New Zealanders really come around this with a snowball of support, giving us a powerful platform to drive positive action for the ocean."
The Mubadala Brazil SailGP Team finished second after delivering a wide-ranging project tackling marine pollution and social inequality in Guanabara Bay ahead of the Enel Rio Sail Grand Prix. The initiative removed more than eight tons of marine debris, created paid employment opportunities for local fishermen, recycled sailing equipment into new products and delivered ocean education workshops for young people.
Third place was shared for the first time in Impact League history, with both the Germany SailGP Team presented by Deutsche Bank and the DS Automobiles SailGP Team France earning recognition.
Germany's Beyond Sailing program combined cutting-edge marine biodiversity research with youth education, while France's Regen Ocean Farms initiative supported sustainable seaweed farming in Brazil and explored innovative bio-based materials to reduce sailing's environmental footprint.
Every SailGP team competes in the Impact League alongside its racing campaign, partnering with charities and local organizations to deliver projects focused on environmental protection, social inclusion and community impact.
More Impact League winners, along with the overall 2026 Season champion, will be announced later this year.
The Emirates Great Britain Sail Grand Prix takes place in Portsmouth on July 25-26, with entertainment from pop sensations Jess Glynne and Craig David.
Don't miss out - grab a ticket HERE or find out how to follow from wherever you are in the world.
More from SailGP
Enjoy unrivaled access to exclusive content, special offers and top-tier competitions - all the action your way, and more!