Sail Canada Rolex Sailor of the Year Awards

Brenda Bowskill

Mar 22, 2018

The Sail Canada Sailor of the Year Awards presented earlier this month honoured competitors and others who contribute to the sport at the Carlu in Toronto.

Here are the award winners:

Skippers’ Plan Female Athlete – Brenda Bowskill (RCYC, Toronto, Ontario)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Skippers’ Plan Male Athlete of the Year – Tom Ramshaw (Toronto, Ontario)
Tom RamshawAndrew RobertsonSr. Vice President

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Skippers’ Plan presents Tom Ramshaw with his award.

Volvo Car Volunteer of the Year – René Dallaire (AQVA, Québec)

René Dallaire

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Bill Burk Memorial Youth Elite Award 

Male – Liam Bruce (Port Credit Yacht Club, Ontario)

Liam Bruce

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Female – Georgia Lewin LaFrance & Madeline Gillis (RNSYS, Nova Scotia)
Georgia Lewin LaFrance & Madeline Gillis

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Gerry Roufs Trophy – Triple Lindy Canadian Crew members; Sean McDermott (RNSYS, NS), Rory Macdonald(RNSYS, NS), Rob Trainor (RNSYS, NS), John Mackay (LYC, NS), Patrick LaRoche (RNSYS, NS), and Kent Paisley (OYS, Ontario)

Sean McDermott, Rory Macdonald, Rob Trainor

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Coach of the Year – Brigitte Smutny (Manitoba Sailing Association)

Brigitte Smutny

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Instructor of the Year – Devin Rubadeau (Central Okanagan Sailing Association, BC)

Devin Rubadeau and Board Member Alicia Damley

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Marvin McDill Memorial Award – Luke Ruitenberg (St. Margaret’s Sailing Club, Nova Scotia) 

Nathan R Cowan Memorial Award for Developing Sailors – William Jones & Evan DePaul (KYC, Ontario) 

William Abbott Sr. Trophy; Sail Training Program of the Year – ÉcovoileBaie-des-chaleurs (Québec) 

Recreation Event of the Year -Fédération de Voile de Québec; Programme Voile mobile

Sail Canada CEO, Don Adams, with FVQ ED Natalie NatalieMatthon – ED of FVQ – Picture: 9737

City of Kingston Regatta of the Year – Gimli YC; 2017 Jeux Canada Games (Manitoba)

Awards

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Chisholm Trophy for Excellence in Race Management – J24 World Championships; Port Credit YC (Ontario)

Pat LymburnerFrom left – Pat Lymburner, Lyn Townsend and Sail Canada Board Member Hugh McGugan

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

President’s Award –

Gillian West

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Atlas Ocean Racing powered by Groupe Esprit de Corps – Maxime Grimard –
9837Sail Canada President, Todd Irving with Maxime Grimard

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Related Articles

Pursuit 500

Pace Inflatable Boats—From Sailing Dads to Sail Canada Partnership

June 12, 2025 By Mathew Channer Canadian company Pace Inflatable Boats was founded just four years ago when co-owners John Doucette and D’Arcy Craig met through their daughters’ sailing team. The company produces both commercial and recreational rigid aluminum-hulled Inflatable Boats (RHIBs) and have 40 vessels currently being assembled at their Ottawa factory. Last month…

The international sailing community is deeply saddened by the passing of Pat Healy on May 17, 2025

The international sailing community is deeply saddened by the passing of Pat Healy on May 17, 2025

May 22, 2025 Pat’s distinguished career in sailing spanned decades. He became an International Judge in 1990 and previously served as an International Umpire. Since 1981, he was a judge for both US Sailing and Sail Canada. Pat contributed his expertise at seven Olympic and Paralympic Games—four times as a coach and three as a…

Information on Your Destination

Information on Your Destination

May 22, 2025 Despite everything, I am relentlessly committed to taking a positive viewpoint on the shenanigans currently raining on our parade. The May Two-Four Long Weekend was the universal start of the boating season in these parts. The unprecedented overuse of the word ‘unprecedented’ nonetheless describes our upcoming boating season, thanks to the bizarre…

Unstoppable Tracy

Unstoppable Tracy Represents Canada at the 2025 Hansa Para Worlds in Australia. 

May 22, 2025 By Mathew Channer Being born without arms and legs has never stopped Tracy “Unstoppable Tracy” Schmitt from pursuing sports and adventure, including mountain climbing, scuba diving, skiing, and particularly sailing. Schmitt is an author, motivational speaker, and competition sailor who recently returned from representing Canada at the 2025 Hansa Para Worlds in…

Video Gallery

Starcraft SV 16 OB

By Craig Ritchie

Photos by Starcraft Marine

Building great boats has always come down to a mix of art and science, and that’s particularly true when it comes to meeting the biggest challenge of all—creating an appealing yet affordable family runabout. Buyers want a boat that is affordable but not stripped to the bare bones.

Enter Starcraft and its delightful SV 16 OB, an all-new-for-2025 family deck boat that elegantly balances comfort, amenities and affordability.

Read More

Destinations

The Erie Canal – An Extraordinary Waterway

By Mark Stevens

Photos by Sharon Matthews-Stevens

As I shift our chartered canal boat into neutral, I’m soothed by the soundtrack of bird calls, the occasional plaintive horn of a distant train and the hum of our engine.

I reach for the VHF to radio the lockmaster in charge of Erie Canal’s Lock 32 dead ahead. Our boat spins gently in the current like a maple key in a mud puddle.

“This is Onondaga,” I say. “Headed westbound and requesting passage.”

Read More

Lifestyle