Kingston, January 12, 2026 – Sail Canada is pleased to announce the creation of a new annual award, the Cruising, Power, Navigation and Offshore Sailing Excellence Award.
The Cruising, Power, Navigation and Offshore Sailing Excellence Award will aim to recognize exemplary seamanship, leadership, and contribution to Canada’s cruising community through exceptional voyages, safety leadership, navigation excellence, or the advancement of cruising culture in Canada. The award will highlight individuals whose accomplishments extend beyond formal instruction and whose actions uphold, foster, and demonstrate the highest standards of safe, responsible, and inspirational cruising.
“Cruising, powerboating, and navigation represent a significant part of how Canadians experience our waters, yet excellence in these disciplines often takes place outside of formal instruction or certification,” said Sail Canada Chief Executive Officer Ryan Kelly. “Working with the Cruising Subcommittee, we created this award to recognize individuals whose seamanship, leadership, and judgment set a high standard for safety, skill, and responsibility, and whose contributions meaningfully strengthen cruising culture in Canada. By highlighting exceptional voyages, navigation excellence, mentorship, and service, this award celebrates real-world achievement and reinforces the values of safe, capable, and inspiring participation that are central to Sail Canada’s cruising, power, and navigation programs.”
To be eligible, nominees will need to be a member of Sail Canada and demonstrate excellence in cruising achievement or seamanship and have contributed meaningfully to the advancement of safe cruising practices in Canada. They will need to demonstrate excellence in two or more of the following areas: Exceptional Cruising Achievement, Seamanship & Safety Leadership, Navigation & Offshore Competence, and Advancement of Cruising Culture in Canada.
The first Cruising, Power, Navigation and Offshore Sailing Excellence Award is expected to be given out in 2026. The nomination process will be launched at the same time as for all the other Sail Canada Annual Awards in the coming weeks.
More information regarding the Sail Canada Cruising, Power, Navigation and Offshore Sailing Excellence Award is available at https://www.sailing.ca/sail-canada-cruising-power-navigation-offshore-sailing-excellence-award/.
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.
