Kingston, August 25, 2021 ÛÒ Sail Canada is proud to announce a partnership with FarEast Boats Canada, an Optimist, coaching rib and keelboat distributor based in the country.
As a Proud Coach Boat Partner to Sail Canada, FarEast Boats Canada will provide a motorboat to the Canadian sailing high performance program through 2021.
ÛÏOn behalf of all our high performance coaches and athletes, I would like to thank FarEast Boats Canada for its involvement in our program and especially the owner, Martin Robitaille. As a former Canadian Sailing Team member, he knows the reality and needs of our coaches and athletes really well,Û said Sail Canada High Performance Director Mike Milner. ÛÏThis partnership will definitively help in our quest for success as it will ease the challenges faced with equipping our team coaches with their most essential tool.Û
Martin Robitaille vividly remembers his experience from the 2014 Finn World Junior Championships (Silver Cup) in Hoorn, in the Netherlands, where he was aiming to defend the bronze medal he had won the previous year at the same competition, held in Malcesine, Italy.
ÛÏI almost had to cancel my participation because I did not have the money and I also had transportation challenges. Once I got there, I believed that I would be able to forget my preparation problems, but it was not the case as our coachÛªs motorboat started working only intermittently. At one point, we even lost our coach, Jean Jacques. We thought he was cooling down with the air conditioning, but he was on the lake with no running motor, trying to steer the motorboat with an umbrella. In the evening, we tried to repair the engine, hoping to see our trainer at the finish line the next day.Û
Martin Robitaille, from Deux-Montagnes, QC, ended up finishing in 6th place at the 2014 Finn Silver Cup.
ÛÏI had to contend with a lot of distractions, preventing me from fully focusing on improving on my bronze medal from 2013,Û he pointed out. ÛÏMy involvement in supporting the team now aims to help prevent at least this issue – our sailors already have their load of challenges. Those who represented us in Tokyo had to struggle with the pandemic, but they persevered and performed well. They are great role models for our kids.
ÛÏI want to take this opportunity to thank everyone who helped me on my competitive journey, those who have been there to help me build my business, and most of all, thank you to all of our new Olympians for inspiring the next generation,Û added Martin Robitaille. ÛÏIÛªm also inviting everyone able to support the team to do so in any way they can.Û
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.
