Trash Collection
Tournament
Tournament Rules

🌊 Annual St. Pete Ocean Sweep Trash Collection Tournament 2025 – Official Rules 🌊

📆 Date: Saturday, April 25, 2026
📍 Location: Harborage Marina - High & Dry, St. Petersburg, FL

📍 Coordinates: 27°45'20.2"N 82°38'06.5"W; 1500 2nd St S, St. Pete , FL 33701
📋 Register Online Here!

Join us for the Annual St. Pete Ocean Sweep Trash Collection Tournament, where volunteers and teams unite to clean up our waterways and coastlines while competing for exciting prizes! Proceeds benefit Water Warrior Alliance’s 501(c)(3) initiatives, funding scholarships for Camp Coral Scuba Camp.

 

 

🔹 Tournament Divisions & Participation

✅ Waterborne Teams – Divers, snorkelers, kayakers, and boaters clean the waters.
✅ Shoreside Teams – Volunteers tackle pollution in parks, streets, and coastal areas.
✅ Youth Division – Young eco-warriors compete in a special category.

 

 

🗓️ Tournament Schedule

Thursday, April 23, 2025
🖥️ 6:00 PM - 7:00 PM – In-Person (Held at Big Catch) or Virtual Participant Meeting (Mandatory for 1 team captain/diver)
📌 Covers event logistics, safety guidelines, and cleanup questions.

Saturday, April 25, 2026
☀️ 7:00 AM (First Light) – Cleanup begins across Pinellas County & surrounding areas.
🌊 12:00 PM – Event opens to the public (Check-in, sponsor booths, eco-activities).
⚖️ 1:00 PM - 2:30 PM – Trash Weigh-In (Sorting & awards categories).

🎨1:00PM - 3:00PM – Public Art Activity & Youth Artivism: Vision to Voice Art Contest 
🍽️ 1:00 PM - 3:00 PM – Free lunch provided by Big Catch and one free drink from Tito's Handmade Vodka or 3Daughters Brewery (21+) for all volunteers & teams.
🏆 3:30 PM – Awards Ceremony (Trophies for top teams) & Art Contest Winners.
🎟️ 4:30 PM – Closing Remarks

 

 

🏆 Tournament Categories & Awards

🏅 Waterborne Teams:
🥇 Total Weight (1st & 2nd place) – Determined by total pounds collected.
🥇 Most Unique Item (1st & 2nd place) – Chosen by weigh-in team judges.
🥇 Specialty Category – Anchors (1st & 2nd place) – Based on the number of anchors collected.

🏅 Shoreside Teams:
🥇 Total Weight (1st & 2nd place) – Determined by total pounds collected.
🥇 Most Unique Item (1st & 2nd place) – Chosen by weigh-in team judges.
🥇 Specialty Category – 7 Types of Plastics Challenge (1st & 2nd place) – See detailed rules below.

🏅 Youth Division: 

🥇 1st place – Waterborne
🥇 1st place – Shoreside

🥇 Total Weight  – Determined by total pounds collected.
🥇 Most Unique Item  – Chosen by weigh-in team judges.
🥇 Shoreside Specialty Category – 7 Types of Plastics Challenge  – See detailed rules below. Or Waterborne Specialty Category – Anchors – Based on the number of anchors collected.

🎁 Bonus: Random prize drawings throughout the event!

 

 

⚖️ Weigh-In & Cleanup Guidelines

📍 Location: Harborage Marina - High & Dry, St. Petersburg, FL

📍 Coordinates: 27°45'20.2"N 82°38'06.5"W

⏳ Weigh-In Time: 1:00 PM – 2:30 PM

⚠️ Rules for Weigh-In & Categories:
✔️ Weight Categories: Determined by total pounds (lbs) collected.
✔️ Anchors Category: Counted by total number collected. (If entangled with other debris and unable to separate, judges will make a fair assessment.)
✔️ Most Unique Item: Selected by weigh-in team judges.
✔️ Separation of Trash: Teams entering multiple categories must separate items before weigh-in (if possible).
✔️ Each team may enter up to TWO categories: (1) Total Weight + either Most Unique Item OR a Specialty Category (Anchors or 7 Types of Plastics Challenge).

 

 

🔹 Shoreside – 7 Types of Plastics Challenge Rules

✔️ Participants must collect and separate all seven types of plastic:

• PET (#1) – Water bottles, soda bottles

• HDPE (#2) – Milk jugs, detergent bottles

• PVC (#3) – Pipes, some food packaging

• LDPE (#4) – Plastic bags, wrap

• PP (#5) – Bottle caps, straws, takeout containers

• PS (#6) – Styrofoam cups, food containers

• Other (#7) – Miscellaneous plastics

✔️ Winning Criteria: The team with the highest quantity of the least-collected plastic type wins.
✔️ Example: If a team collects 10 PET (#1) bottles but only 4 PVC (#3) plastics, their final score is 4 x 7 = 28 points. The team with the highest total wins.

 

 

🔹 Waterborne – Anchors Challenge Rules

✔️ All anchors must be accounted for during weigh-in to qualify.
✔️ If entangled with other debris and separation is not possible, judges will assess accordingly.
✔️ Only anchors collected during the cleanup count toward the challenge.
✔️ All trash must be sorted before weighing (when feasible).
✔️ Teams must arrive by 2:30 PM for weigh-in to qualify.

 

 

🚫 Prohibited Items

To protect our environment and ensure safety, the following items must NOT be removed or handled:
❌ Do not disturb natural vegetation, wildlife, or live marine organisms.
❌ Any hazardous materials (oil barrels, chemicals, medical waste, etc.) should be reported to event staff immediately and left undisturbed.

 

 

 

⚖️ Tournament Rules & Disqualification Policy

1️⃣ Waivers: All participants (18+) must sign a waiver; minors require a parent/guardian signature.
2️⃣ Boat Safety: All boats must comply with U.S. Coast Guard safety regulations and have proper safety gear, first aid kits, and VHF radios (Channel 7).
3️⃣ Debris Handling: Teams are responsible for unloading and weighing debris at the designated station.
4️⃣ Eligibility: Only trash collected from public areas counts toward weigh-ins. Personal trash will result in disqualification.
5️⃣ Ethics: Suspect trash, unsportsmanlike conduct, or rule violations may lead to disqualification at the discretion of event officials.
6️⃣ Weather: The tournament is rain or shine. There is no backup date in case of inclement weather.
7️⃣ Media Use: By participating, contestants grant permission for their name and likeness to be used in event promotions.
8️⃣ Weigh-In Deadline: Teams must arrive for weigh-in by 2:30 PM sharp. Late arrivals will be disqualified.

🚨 Disqualification Notice: Any disputes will be reviewed by the tournament committee. All participants are expected to accept decisions with respect and sportsmanship.

 

 

🏆 Tournament Experience – Team Up, Clean Up, Win Prizes!

✔️ Team up, sign up, and make a plan: Choose your cleanup location (land or water), decide on your vessel, and determine if you will be scuba diving.
✔️ Download PhotoCircle to document your cleanup and share photos.
✔️ Clean up, document, and share your impact on social media.
✔️ Head to Harborage Marina - High & Dry to weigh in and get free swag! 
✔️ Enjoy a free lunch provided by Big Catch and drinks from Tito’s Handmade Vodka and 3 Daughters Brewery.
 

 

 

📞 Questions?

📧 Email: wwa.trashtournaments@gmail.com
📞 Contact: Jenna Byrne at 727-303-9987

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