News

O Canada’s Canada Day Debut

By

TORONTO, ON — 1 July 2015 After sailing coast to coast, Canada’s premier offshore racing team kicks off their summer tour appropriately on Canada Day with charity sails that bring two special youth groups on board the IMOCA60 racing yacht, O Canada.

The first group hailed from Toronto Brigantine, a Tall Ship organization for local youth, who were all very excited to get onboard an offshore racing yacht such as O Canada. The afternoon sailing session was a particularly unique experience for youth groups from Regent Park, some of whom are part of a muslim community leadership group for women. Both groups were given the one-in-a-lifetime opportunity to sail on Canada’s racing machine through the Broad Reach Foundation.

“It was so much fun, like going fast… We hit 10 knots that was so sick. That’s the fastest I’ve been for two years almost. You guys made it seem like it was nothing going that fast. Like, that’s amazing!” Tom Williams, Grade 12, Senior Watch Officer from Toronto Brigantine Program.

O Canada’s mere presence in Toronto is a truly epic feat, as the team left Vancouver just 9 weeks ago to make it here in Toronto for their Canada Day debut to the public. The journey also touted the team’s own youth group of sorts, as 4 young sailors joined Skipper Eric Holden for the organization’s first Aspiring Offshore Athletes (AOA) program.

The AOA program took 4 sailors, each from different provinces, to train alongside Holden as he prepares for IMOCA60 offshore races later this year and ultimately the Vendee Globe. Since leaving Vancouver in April, the team has logged over 7000nM as they traveled to Toronto via the Panama Canal and St. Lawrence River.

“I wanted to establish the Canadian Ocean Racing program to not only support my IMOCA60 racing campaigns, but also help build the future of offshore racing in Canada. It is hard to get a hockey nation serious about sailing, but I am hoping that this campaign, getting people excited and following our journey, will do exactly that,” said Eric Holden, Skipper and co-founder of Canadian Ocean Racing.

Canadian Ocean Racing is certainly off to a great start with that goal. The stunning 60’ racing yacht is docked at HTO Park in Toronto from 1-5 July, offering free boat tours to the public in spirit of Canada Day. On 9 July, the team is again partnering with Broad Reach Foundation for a fundraising dinner at the Royal Canadian Yacht Club, also open to the public. You can purchase tickets to that event here. No tickets are required for open boat tours this weekend, but raffle tickets will be sold for some amazing experiences onboard O Canada.

 

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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 (AOA) 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.

Broad Reach Foundation
Founded in 1998, Broad Reach Foundation for Youth Leaders is a registered charity built on partnerships with youth-serving agencies in the Toronto community. Promoting accessibility and inclusion, Broach Reach Foundation believes that economics should never be a barrier to participation. Offering the only free program for at-risk youth that combines building life skills, job training and sailing in a unique setting aboard one of the program’s 35′-40’ sailboats. Through on-shore and on-water programs, youth aged 12-24, use sailing as a learning medium to develop confidence, leadership, teamwork, responsibility and positive work ethic. Visit www.sailbroadreach.ca for more information.

News

O Canada’s Canada Day Debut

By

TORONTO, ON — 1 July 2015 After sailing coast to coast, Canada’s premier offshore racing team kicks off their summer tour appropriately on Canada Day with charity sails that bring two special youth groups on board the IMOCA60 racing yacht, O Canada.

The first group hailed from Toronto Brigantine, a Tall Ship organization for local youth, who were all very excited to get onboard an offshore racing yacht such as O Canada. The afternoon sailing session was a particularly unique experience for youth groups from Regent Park, some of whom are part of a muslim community leadership group for women. Both groups were given the one-in-a-lifetime opportunity to sail on Canada’s racing machine through the Broad Reach Foundation.

“It was so much fun, like going fast… We hit 10 knots that was so sick. That’s the fastest I’ve been for two years almost. You guys made it seem like it was nothing going that fast. Like, that’s amazing!” Tom Williams, Grade 12, Senior Watch Officer from Toronto Brigantine Program.

O Canada’s mere presence in Toronto is a truly epic feat, as the team left Vancouver just 9 weeks ago to make it here in Toronto for their Canada Day debut to the public. The journey also touted the team’s own youth group of sorts, as 4 young sailors joined Skipper Eric Holden for the organization’s first Aspiring Offshore Athletes (AOA) program.

The AOA program took 4 sailors, each from different provinces, to train alongside Holden as he prepares for IMOCA60 offshore races later this year and ultimately the Vendee Globe. Since leaving Vancouver in April, the team has logged over 7000nM as they traveled to Toronto via the Panama Canal and St. Lawrence River.

“I wanted to establish the Canadian Ocean Racing program to not only support my IMOCA60 racing campaigns, but also help build the future of offshore racing in Canada. It is hard to get a hockey nation serious about sailing, but I am hoping that this campaign, getting people excited and following our journey, will do exactly that,” said Eric Holden, Skipper and co-founder of Canadian Ocean Racing.

Canadian Ocean Racing is certainly off to a great start with that goal. The stunning 60’ racing yacht is docked at HTO Park in Toronto from 1-5 July, offering free boat tours to the public in spirit of Canada Day. On 9 July, the team is again partnering with Broad Reach Foundation for a fundraising dinner at the Royal Canadian Yacht Club, also open to the public. You can purchase tickets to that event here. No tickets are required for open boat tours this weekend, but raffle tickets will be sold for some amazing experiences onboard O Canada.

 

##########

 

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 (AOA) 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.

Broad Reach Foundation
Founded in 1998, Broad Reach Foundation for Youth Leaders is a registered charity built on partnerships with youth-serving agencies in the Toronto community. Promoting accessibility and inclusion, Broach Reach Foundation believes that economics should never be a barrier to participation. Offering the only free program for at-risk youth that combines building life skills, job training and sailing in a unique setting aboard one of the program’s 35′-40’ sailboats. Through on-shore and on-water programs, youth aged 12-24, use sailing as a learning medium to develop confidence, leadership, teamwork, responsibility and positive work ethic. Visit www.sailbroadreach.ca for more information.