Nine sailors selected to represent Team Canada at Tokyo 2020

The Tokyo 2020 Canadian Sailing Team will include a mix of veterans including four-time Olympian Nikola Girke, Rio 2016 Olympians Tom Ramshaw and Jacob Saunders, as well as Oliver Bone who represented Canada at the 2008 Olympic Games. They will be joined by young, up-and-coming sailors including 2019 Pan American Games champion in the Laser Radial event Sarah Douglas, Alexandra (Ali) ten Hove, Mariah Millen, William Jones and Evan DePaul.

“I am very proud to be selected to the Olympic team and to represent Canada in Tokyo this summer,” said Sarah Douglas. “It is going to be different than I dreamed of but any chance to compete for my country on the Olympic stage is a huge honour for me.”

“I’m very grateful to have the opportunity to represent Canada at the Olympics again, and am very much looking forward to putting my hard work to the test against the best sailors in the world,” added Rio 2016 Olympian Tom Ramshaw.

The sailing competition will be based out of the Enoshima Yacht Harbour and will take place from July 25th to August 4th. Medal races for the 10 events will take place each day starting on July 31st.

The sport of sailing has been part of the Olympic program since the first modern Games in 1896, except for the St. Louis 1904 Games. Since then, Canada has won nine Olympic medals (three silver and six bronze) in sailing. This year also marks the 90th anniversary of Sail Canada.

Each Olympic sailing event includes a series of 10 to 12 races scheduled almost every day. Athletes complete the predetermined courses around marker buoys with the goal of crossing the finish line ahead of their competitors to get the lowest points for their placement. The final of each event includes the top-10 boats sailors who are competing in a double-point medal race. The athlete or team with the fewest points at the end of the race series wins the overall event.

“On behalf of all Sail Canada’s members, I would like to congratulate all of our Olympic athletes for their nomination to the Canadian Olympic Team, especially following a very demanding and challenging year,” said Don Adams, Sail Canada CEO. “We are very proud of these athletes for their hard work and dedication. I would also like to thank the whole Sail Canada coaching and support team for their hard work over the past Olympic quadrennial in training and preparing our athletes for Tokyo. We look forward to seeing them participate and represent Canada and Sail Canada at the Games.”

“I’ve met many Olympic sailors and have been to many of their sailing competitions; both always present a blend of jovial energy and meticulous attention to details,” said Marnie McBean, Team Canada’s Tokyo 2020 Chef de Mission. “It’s very exciting to welcome this mix of veterans and rookies to Team Canada – I look forward to supporting them all in Tokyo.”

The athletes nominated will take part in six events in Tokyo: women’s Laser Radial, men’s Finn, men’s 470, women’s 49er FX, men’s 49er and women’s RS:X.

The following is the complete list of team members:

Women’s Laser Radial (one-handed dinghy)

Sarah Douglas (Toronto, Ont.) – Ashbridges Bay Yacht Club (ABYC)

Men’s Finn (one-handed heavyweight dinghy)

Tom Ramshaw (Toronto, Ont.) – Stoney Lake Yacht Club (SLYC) & Royal Canadian Yacht Club (RCYC)

Women’s 49erFX (skiff)

Ali ten Hove (Kingston, Ont.) – Kingston Yacht Club (KYC)

Mariah Millen (Toronto, Ont.) – Royal Canadian Yacht Club (RCYC)

Men’s 49er (skiff)

William Jones (Jerseyville, Ont.) – Royal Hamilton Yacht Club (RHYC)

Evan DePaul (Burlington, Ont.) – Royal Hamilton Yacht Club (RHYC)

Men’s 470 (two-handed dinghy)

Oliver Bone (Montreal, Que.) – Royal Nova Scotia Yacht Squadron (RNSYS)

Jacob Saunders (Chester, N.S.) – Chester Yacht Club (CYC) / Royal Nova Scotia Yacht Squadron (RNSYS)

Women’s RS:X (windsurfer)

Nikola Girke (West Vancouver, B.C.) – Royal Vancouver Yacht Club (RVYC)

The Canadian coaching staff will include National Performance Coach Ken Dool (London, Ont.), who will take part in his eighth Olympic Games, two-time Olympian and National Skiff Coach Krzysztof Kierkowski (Sopot, Poland), as well as National Radial Coach Vaughn Harrison (Aurora, Ont.).

Prior to being named to Team Canada, all nominations are subject to approval by the Canadian Olympic Committee’s Team Selection Committee following its receipt of nominations by all National Sport Organisations.