Dartmouth Regatta has just been awarded the prestigious Platinum Certification for Sailors of theSeas-Clean Regattas for the second year in a row.

Chairman of the Port of Dartmouth Royal Regatta Ed Botterill explains:

“It's an international accolade sponsored by an organization called Sailors for the Sea, which is run out of America.

“It's got a great deal of traction in the US, Australia and New Zealand and they run a scheme called Clean Regattas, which is primarily about sailing around the world.

We've been looking at it for probably about the last four or five years and working towards gaining accreditation.”

The organisation runs various levels of accreditation up to gold, silver, and then platinum, and Dartmouth has again been awarded the platinum level accreditation, which is the highest.

“It’s one of only three UK-based regattas that have been awarded it.”

Ed contiued: “We have a lot of sailing, but we also have a lot of rowing and other things so we've had to look at all of their criteria and adapt it to us by putting large-scale waterborne events on a more sustainable footing.

So what caught the judges eyes?:

“All around the world, other regattas give disposable prizes.

“You get a prize and you think, that's very nice, I'm just going to throw that away or look at it on my mantelpiece and then not do anything with it, but we've been really helped by the fact that the majority of our rowing, in particular trophies, are silver, and we've had them for well over 100 years.

As part of the regatta, for the last two years the sailors have received wooden medals made in Teignmouth.

“If you win a rowing race or you win the running race or you win the face painting, crabbing or whatever it is at Regatta, you get a mug.”

The mugs also have a practical use as Ed points out:

“I've got a cupboard full of Regatta mugs that we rotate through and use almost every day.

“It's a pint of coffee that really starts you off in the morning.”

For most of their our 180 years, the Dart Harbour Navigation Authority has worked with them as their biggest facilitator.

Ed thinks they and South Hams District Council should be sharing the accolade:

“SHDC is our waste remover and over the Regatta takes over 30,000 litres of rubbish out of town every day.

“None of that goes to landfill which is a really big consideration for sailors wanting the seas to be as unpolluted as possible.”

This year is the 180th Dartmouth Regatta and it runs between Saturday August 23 and Saturday August 30 with the Opening Ceremony on Wednesday August 27.

The event on August 27 will feature the Band of The Royal Marines and will be in the presence of the Lord Lieutenant, the High Sheriff, The Mayor and local dignitaries.

The Regatta’s Annual Public Meeting is being held on Friday January 31 at the Guildhall in Dartmouth.