Kingston, October 7, 2025 – Sail Canada announced today that the Brome Lake Boating Club’s Women’s Sailing Initiation Camp has won Sail Canada’s Recreation Event of the Year Award for 2024.
The Recreation Event Award recognizes a club, an organization, an individual or a group, which is Canadian-based and affiliated with Sail Canada, that has contributed to the promotion of recreational sailing in Canada. In order to be eligible for the award, clubs or associations must be members in good standing with Sail Canada. Nominations were evaluated based on a time period ranging from January 1 to December 31, 2024.
The Lac Brome Boating Club’s Women’s Sailing Initiative aimed to provide sailing opportunities specifically for girls through various types of camps, ranging from recreational introduction to high performance. The project was made possible thanks to financial support from Sail Canada, Égale Action, Sports Québec, and Voile Québec.
The Lac Brome Boating Club organized a five-day introductory camp in August 2024 which was reserved for girls—cisgender, transgender, and non-binary. Under the direction of Laurence Pagé of Voile Québec, three instructors supervised a group of 21 participants aged 8 to 16 from eight municipalities in Brome-Missisquoi. The camp allowed participants to discover sailing in an inclusive and supportive environment, while giving instructors the opportunity to adapt to the specific learning needs of girls.
This type of camp has confirmed that female-only environments play a key role in keeping girls involved in sports: it allows them to try new experiences, take on challenges, build relationships, and strengthen their sense of belonging, even in individual disciplines such as sailing.
“We are very honoured to receive Sail Canada’s Recreational Event of the Year Award for the first edition of our Women’s Sailing Initiation Camp,” said Kim Alepin of the Brome Lake Boating Club.
“This project would not have been possible without the Sailing for All initiative and the coordination of Samara Crothers, whom we sincerely thank for her commitment. With the support of Sail Canada, Sports Québec, Égale Action, and Voile Québec, we were able to welcome 21 young participants, the vast majority of whom were discovering sailing for the first time. Despite difficult weather conditions, the girls returned every day with enthusiasm and perseverance, creating an inclusive and caring atmosphere. This award recognizes the importance of making sailing accessible and offering new opportunities to girls and young women.”
Additional information on the Recreation Event of the Year Award is available at https://www.sailing.ca/recreation-event-award-past-winners/.
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.
