An opportunity to promote sailing and to introduce more Canadians to the sport
Kingston, January 25, 2023 – Sail Canada is inviting all its sailing partners, clubs and schools across the country to start planning for the 2023 #GoSailing Days, which will be held this year June 16-18.
Led by Sail Canada, this initiative will take place for the third year in a row and will aim to celebrate and promote the sport, as well as to introduce more Canadians, especially families, to the sport of sailing over that special weekend.
The 2023 #GoSailing Days will be held over the first weekend of the new season for SailGP, set to take place in Chicago, and which will involve the Canadian team.
All sailing partners across the country are encouraged to hold different events such as:
-open door events where kids and families can experience a short session of sailing/cruising time on the water;
-Mobile Schools staged by a Provincial Sailing Association in a city or a club;
-sailing activities that enable unprivileged kids to try the sport;
-a nightly parade of illuminated boats;
-activities with local media to come and try as a crew member;
-get together to cheer on the Canada SailGP team during its first event of season 4.
Challenge for the Canadian Sailing Community
As was the case over the past two years, Sail Canada will stage a challenge for the Canadian Sailing community, which will be invited to register online and log their sailing hours during Canada’s #GoSailing Days.
Last year, Canadian sailors collectively reached the set goal of 648 hours on the water, which matched the 6,000 km distance that separates Sail Canada’s Head Office in Kingston, ON, from Kiel while close to 30 Canadian athletes were taking part in the Kiel Week event.
Details on the challenge for the 2023 #GoSailing Days edition will be announced later.
Want to organize an activity?
All other ideas are welcome in order to introduce new participants to family activities of the same nature, in addition to initiatives such as eSailing, normal or radio-controlled races, posting photos supported by the hashtag #GoSailing that promote participation, as well as challenges among club members. Cool activities such as an introduction to sailing are also available in our “Sailing for Kids” section at https://www.sailing.ca/sailing-for-kids.
Organizations who would like to take part in #GoSailing Days can post, by June 7 at the latest, a list of the activities they will offer throughout the June 16-18 period at www.sailing.ca/gosailing.
Over the next few months, on the same web page, sailing partners will also find promotional material, including the logo for #GoSailing Days and a press release template.
Canadians who would like to get themselves and their families acquainted with sailing will find a list of the different activities organized by sailing partners over the June 16-18 weekend on the same web page. These events will also be promoted by Sail Canada, which will spearhead this initiative to promote our sport at the national level.
About Sail Canada
Established in 1931, Sail Canada is the national governing body for the sport of sailing in the country. Sail Canada is a leading international sailing nation, proud of its world class athletes, lifelong participants and inclusive culture. The organization and its members are committed to excellence by developing and training its leaders, athletes, sailors, instructors, coaches and officials. With the valued support from our partners, the Provincial Sailing Associations and our member clubs, schools, organizations and stakeholders, sailing is promoted in all its forms. By setting standards and delivering programs from home pond to podium for Canadians of all ages and abilities, from dinghies to keelboats, cruising to navigation, windsurfing to powerboating and accessible sailing, Sail Canada sets sail for all, sail to win and sail for life.
A sport in the Olympic program since the first Games in 1896, except in 1904, the pursuit of success in these Games is what fuels the focus of Sail Canada as Canadian athletes have so far achieved nine Olympic and five Paralympic medals.
