For the third time in a row in 2024, they took part in the Medal Race
Kingston, May 12, 2024 – Antonia and Georgia Lewin-LaFrance from Chester, N.S., who have qualified to be nominated on Canada’s Paris 2024 sailing team, took the 8th position at their last major competition before Paris, the 2024 49erFX European Championship, which ended Sunday in La Grande Motte, France.
Qualified in 8th position for the Medal Race as one of the top 10 teams in the standings following the preliminary races, the Lewin-LaFrance sisters came up with a fifth-place finish in the last race of the competition, Sunday, but did not move up in final standings.
It was the third major competition in a row in 2024 where the sailors from Nova Scotia qualified for the Medal Race, as they did at the 2024 49er and 49erFX World Championships in Lanzarote, SPA, and at the Princess Sofia Trophy Regatta in Palma, SPA, where they respectively finished in 8th and 4th place. In both of those competitions, however, the Medal Race was cancelled due to weather conditions.
Through the 15 races held over the week, Antonia and Georgia Lewin-LaFrance flirted twice with a podium finish, ending day 3 and day 4 in fourth and third place overall, respectively. However, two penalties which gave them the maximum of 30 points prevented them from repeating their performance from the 2021 edition of the 49erFX European Championship, where they won the bronze medal.
Isaura Maenhaut and Anouk Geurts from Belgium won gold, followed by Sarah Steyaert and Charline Picon from France, as well as Freya Black and Saskia Tidey from Great Britain. Tara and Siobhan Golonka from Victoria, B.C., finished the event in 26th place out of a total of 29 teams.
In the 49er class that was also contested at the European Championships, the team comprised of Will Jones from Aldershot, ON, and Justin Barnes from Pickering, ON, who have qualified to be nominated on Canada’s Paris 2024 sailing team, took the 48th position. Thomas and William Staples from Beaconsfield, QC, finished in 31st place.
The 2024 Nacra 17 World Championships were also held during the event, as Galen Richardson (Toronto, ON) and Madeline Gillis (Halifax, N.S.) ended up in 40th place out of a total of 44 competitors.
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.
