Awards: Antonia and Georgia – Sailor of the Year
November 5, 2026
Antonia and Georgia Lewin-LaFrance from Chester, Nova Scotia, are Sail Canada’s 2026 Sailors of the Year. Sail Canada’s Sailor of the Year Award has been presented annually since 1986 to individuals who have provided global recognition to Canadian sailing and Sail Canada, and who are renowned leaders that have attained high levels of excellence with significant results and accomplishments in world events or activities. Along with recognition for exemplary sportsmanship, they have held the respect of their fellow sailors.
Nominations were evaluated based on a time period ranging from January 1 to December 31, 2025.
After taking part in their first Olympic Games in 2024 and deciding to embark on a new Olympic cycle toward the Los Angeles 2028 Games, Antonia and Georgia Lewin-LaFrance won four medals in six competitions over the prescribed time period. That includes a gold medal at the 2025 49er, 49erFX and Nacra 17 European Championships held in Greece and three bronze medals, which they earned at French Olympic Week and Kiel Week, events that were held as part of the Sailing Grand Slam Series, as well as at the 49er, 49erFX and Nacra 17 World Championships held in Italy. They also took the fourth position at another Sailing Grand Slam Series event, the Long Beach Olympic Classes Regatta.
Their performances in 2025 were remarkable as they became the first-ever sailors from Canada to medal at the 49erFX World Championships. Furthermore, few teams in Canadian history have had a gold-bronze combo at the European and World Championships in the same year.
Their results from 2025 allowed them to start the following season on top of the World Sailing rankings in the 49erFX class.
They also won the Gallagher Skippers’ Plan Female Athletes of the Year Award for 2025 for the very first time in their career.
“We’re very honoured to be named Sail Canada’s Sailors of the Year,” said Antonia and Georgia Lewin-LaFrance. “We’ve been working toward our Olympic goals together for nearly eight years, and this recognition means a great deal given the intensity and commitment that come with the day-to-day life of an Olympic campaign. We’re proud of how far we’ve come, but we know there is still a lot of work ahead of us. We’re excited to keep building toward our ultimate goal at the Los Angeles 2028 Olympic Games.”
Also, Madeline Gillis and Galen Richardson win McDill Memorial
The Canadian Nacra 17 team comprised of Madeline Gillis from Halifax, N.S., and Galen Richardson from Toronto, ON, have won Sail Canada’s 2025 Marvin McDill Memorial Award.
The Marvin McDill Award is presented to an athlete or a crew that have achieved the best results at their first Open World Championships as members of the Canadian Sailing Team. The determination of best performance is based on the percentage of boats finishing behind the athlete or crew at their first participation as a member of the Canadian Sailing Team in an Open World Championship.
Nominations were evaluated based on a time period ranging from January 1 to December 31, 2025. In 2025, Gillis and Richardson took the 20th position at the European Championships, the 21st position at the Princess Sofia Trophy Regatta, the 22nd position at the French Olympic Week event, and the 25th position at the World Championships.
“Competing at this level would not be possible without the support we receive from our community. We want to thank everybody who helps to support our team and make our journey possible. We’re excited to continue representing Canada as we count down the days until the 2028 Olympic Games.”
