HALIFAX, NS — 6 June 2015 Today, Open 60 racing yacht, O Canada, and her crew step foot back on Canadian soil after a 6-week and 7000 nM sail from Vancouver. Canadian Ocean Racing’s Halifax touch down kicks off the program’s summer tour as the first of many Canadian port stopovers.
O Canada is skippered by 2014 Canadian Rolex Sailor of the Year and 2013-14 Clipper Round the World Race champion, Eric Holden. Back in March, Holden launched Canada’s premier offshore racing program and brought on four young, talented Aspiring Offshore Athletes (AOAs) to train with him on the Open 60’s delivery from Vancouver to Toronto via the Panama Canal.
It is fitting that Halifax is the team’s first official stopover port since leaving Vancouver over a month ago, as several crew members will be sailing back into familiar waters. The team already has a week packed with events in Halifax and will be hosted by the Royal Nova Scotia Yacht Squadron for the duration of the stopover.
“The Maritimes have such a proud sailing tradition and by bringing the Open 60 O Canada to Halifax, we hope to continue that legacy moving forward,” said Holden.
During his five years in Halifax from 2007 to 2011, Eric became heavily involved in the local sailing community and sailed with many successful race teams, including twice winning the Squadron’s prestigious Prince of Wales trophy and was part of the first Canadian team to claim overall victory in the iconic Marblehead to Halifax race.
“I left Halifax to build my sailing career overseas, now that I am back I want to pass on those experiences and help make it easier for the next generation to get opportunities closer to home,” said Holden. “I have very fond memories of my time in Halifax and am looking forward to spending some time here again as we prepare for the 2016 Vendee Globe singlehanded round the world race.”
This Halifax stopover is particularly special for one such crew member, Daniel Dagenais-Gaw, as it is his homecoming.
“Awesome to be arriving in RNSYS with such a legitimate team. Can’t wait to haul into home port with a hot race boat after getting into offshore only a few years ago,” said Gaw.
Growing up sailing on the Halifax harbour, Gaw first got the bug for offshore racing during the 2009 Convoy Cup, a local overnight coastal race. Gaw was then dedicated to building offshore miles, and in April, he was selected to be part of Canadian Ocean Racing’s Aspiring Offshore Athletes program. The AOA program is comprised of young sailing talent from across the country, and Gaw is proud to be representing Nova Scotia in the competitive program.
Canadian Ocean Racing intends to establish its home base in Halifax as Holden trains for his 2016 Vendee Globe entry. O Canada will return to Halifax at the end of summer 2015 following several week stopovers and engagements in Toronto, Kingston, Montreal and Quebec City.
Check out local coverage on the team’s Halifax stopover from The Chronicle Herald, CBC News, CBC NS (@17m54s) and ICI Canada Radio (@37m02s). Follow the team on Facebook, and via Instagram and Twitter @oceanracers for latest updates on shoreside events.
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Press Contact
Meg Reilly, PR & Partnerships Manager
mreilly@canadianoceanracing.com
+1 908 279 5747
Canadian Ocean Racing
Canadian Ocean Racing (COR) is Canada’s premier offshore racing team. Founded by Eric Holden and Morgen Watson, COR is dedicated to promoting the sport of offshore racing in Canada. COR is using Open 60 O Canada for the training program and taking her back on the racing circuit to compete in the IMOCA races.
The mission of COR is to raise the profile of Canadian offshore racing while building a program to develop the next generation of sailors. The program launched its Aspiring Offshore Athletes Program in March 2015 in which young Canadian sailors have the opportunity to be mentored and trained by Eric Holden on various offshore passages onboard O Canada.
