2024 TROFEO PRINCESA SOFIA REGATTA - OLYMPIC TRIALS COMPLETED

This year, the 53rd edition of the Trofeo Princesa Sofia Regatta took place from April 1st to 6th. I traveled to Spain on March 24th to get situated for my 3rd time attending this event. In the lead-up to the event, we saw various conditions, including several days in a row with big wind from the south straight into the bay. This brought massive waves, making the beach launch dangerous and forcing us to launch from the harbour. A number of ILCAs and one coach boat flipped on the way out, but once out there, the huge waves made for some epic training as they were skewed 60 degrees to the left of the wind, allowing for surfing upwind on port.

These high winds stuck around for the first day of the event, with winds of 20-29 knots. After a good start in the first race towards the pin, I found myself on the correct side of the racecourse in around 15th place. Unfortunately, feeling the fatigue of the strenuous upwind, I annoyingly missed my hiking strap tacking at the windward mark. This cost me significantly, and I finished that race 51st out of 66. I again had a good start in the second race and sailed a clean race, finishing in 18th. The second day brought lighter winds, around 8 knots. I had some excellent downwinds but didn’t get off the line as well as the previous day, finishing with races of 29 and 22. With only two days of qualifying, this left me in the silver fleet, 14 points short of my goal of making gold and mathematically eliminated from the Olympic trials for Paris 2024. 

I want to express my deepest gratitude to each and every one of you who has been a part of my journey these last four years: my sponsors and donors, Port Credit Yacht Club, Sail Canada, the Governments of Canada and Ontario, and my parents. Your unwavering support and belief in me have not only allowed me to represent Canada on the world stage but have also been the driving force behind my every success. I also want to extend a special thank you to my coaches, Larry, Ken, Wil, and Andrew, for their invaluable guidance and mentorship in this sport. 

While this quad has not ended as I had initially envisioned, I am proud of the significant progress I have made in sailing year after year. This journey has only strengthened my resolve to compete in the Los Angeles 2028 games. I am fully committed to this goal and believe that with continued effort and support, I can achieve further mastery in this sport. 

I will take some time this summer and fall to work on my university degree and give back to the sailing community. I will be coaching this summer where I can share my experiences and insights with aspiring sailors. My next event will be the ILCA North Americans, June 6-9.

2024 ILCA 7 WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP

2024 started with a busy month for me. I competed in 2 events, culminating with the 2024 ILCA 7 World Championships, my first peak event of the year. This event was the second last opportunity to qualify Canada for a Men's Dinghy spot for the 2024 Olympics.

Before the Worlds, I competed in the Australian National Championships a few days after arriving in Adelaide. I finished this event in 65th out of 102 entries. Arriving early was critical to get a better feel for the wind patterns in the venue and get situated with the jet lag. After two weeks of training, the 2024 ILCA World Championships came post-Australian Nationals.

With the Olympics now only months away - the best of the fleet are all in attendance.

The first three days of the event and qualifying series saw us complete two races a day in mostly moderate to strong sea breezes ranging from 10-18 knots, depending on how clear the day was and the gradient. We had a return to shore on day two as we waited for the sea breeze to build. The following two days of the regatta in the final series brought more significant winds, with day 5 being 25-32 knots. Unfortunately, with the sea breezes late arrival and the scheduled medal race in the afternoon, the race committee could not get us underway for an 11th race in a narrow window on the 6th day before the top 10 competed in the medal race. 

Starting line action

At this event, I had by far my best qualifying series, sitting in 65th after the first three days, finishing 7th and 15th in races, and having my best finish by percentage of the fleet. I was proud of my performance in individual races, competing with the best in the world, and I am moving in the right direction. 

View fullsize

The team fell just short of our collective goal of qualifying Canada for the Olympics. With more places being given out at upcoming continental events, Canada will be one of the favourites to win one of the three remaining spots at the SOF Hyeres - Last Chance Regatta. For our internal selection, I currently sit 45 spots behind the top Canadian; my work is cut out for our second and final trials event, Trofeo Princesa Sofia, the Spanish World Cup event held annually in Palma. I want to thank everyone who has supported me on this journey thus far, including my family, coaches, and supporters. 

Next up, I have a long training camp in Tenerife to attack my weaknesses in heavy wind and prepare me as best as possible for Palma. 

2023 TROFEO PRINCESA SOFIA REGATTA

Location: Mallorca, Spain
Dates: April 3-8, 2023

In April, I had the incredible opportunity to proudly represent Port Credit Yacht Club and Canada at the Trofeo Princesa Sofia Regatta in Mallorca, Spain. This World Cup event in the ILCA 7 class gathered the finest sailors worldwide, and I was honoured to be part of it. The regatta, doubling as the Canadian qualifier for the upcoming World Sailing Championships, was thrilling.

Despite some unpredictable conditions, both the race committee and sailors faced the challenge head-on. The initial day's light air allowed only one fleet to race, and unfortunately, I wasn't part of that lucky group. A top 10 position in our race was cut short by a flag and a subsequent abandoned race due to disappearing winds. The following day brought a marathon on the water with three races over 7.5 hours, showcasing the adaptability of sailors as the wind shifted. The last day of qualifying had us eagerly watching as the yellow fleet caught up on a race before re-splitting into new groups—the sea breeze built up for the final qualifying day, creating a challenging yet exhilarating series.

52 Trofeo S.A.R. Princesa Sofía Mallorca, © Sailing Energy / Princesa Sofía Mallorca

Throughout the regatta, my starts posed a challenge, and navigating through dense fleets in moderate to light conditions proved tricky in the ILCA 7. Second-beat decision-making added another layer of difficulty, causing a few slides in the fleet.

In the overall standings, I landed in the 119th position out of 184 sailors. While it wasn't the placement I had aimed for, missing the fourth and final Canadian spot for the Worlds by 13 places, the experience was invaluable. The regatta tested me physically, mentally, and emotionally, pushing me to my limits and providing immense learning opportunities.

Despite the challenges, I am genuinely grateful for the chance to represent my country on the global stage and compete among the best in the sport. The experience has only strengthened my determination to improve, refine my skills, and gear up for the upcoming Olympic trials starting in January 2024. I am sincerely grateful for the unwavering support that made this incredible journey possible. Here's to the lessons learned, the challenges overcome, and the exciting journey ahead!

RESULTS

FOURTH PORTUGAL GRAND PRIX ROUND 2

Arriving back in Vilamoura again earlier this month, I felt good about the fitness block I had just finished and was looking forward to my first European regatta of 2022. Unfortunately, on the third day of the Fourth Portugal Grand Prix Round 2, I suddenly began to feel unwell, and in the end, I withdrew from competing due to COVID. 

I did manage to sail the first two and a half days before any symptoms kicked in. The first day brought moderate conditions. It was critical to have good starts in the sizable but mostly less competitive fleet as the leaders pulled away quickly. My "big line starting" was off, and I had poor starts in both races on the first day, having to battle back each time to mid-fleet. A disappointing first day, to say the least, but a good opportunity to identify what things need some focus prior to the major regattas this spring. 

RACE 1 - You can see me come into view on the left hand side of the screen. Sail number CAN 215019.

On the second day, the wind was much lighter in the 5-7 knot range and dying to zero throughout the day. Luckily our fleet was scheduled first and managed to get a race off. As the breeze died, there was a persistent right shift. I had a better start and correctly picked my side, but I did not continue all the way to the lay line, costing myself 5 places or so at the windward. I finished that race in 13th.

Obviously this regatta didn't exactly go to plan, but I felt I was making progress and have identified the areas I need to strengthen.

I am feeling better, but am currently resting and allowing myself the time needed to fully recover before beginning my return to training. Once fully recovered, I look forward to getting back in shape and ready for the next regatta, which, if all goes well, will be the Europa Cup in Pollensa, Spain.

Congratulations to my fellow teammate Luke Ruitenberg who finished up the regatta in 10th place.  

RESULTS HERE

NEXT UPDATE COMING SOON!

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HEADER PHOTO CREDIT: OSGA.PHOTO

2021 ILCA 7 WORLD CHAMPIONSHIPS

Photo Credit: unknown

After taking some time off and reflecting on a challenging regatta, I am happy to share that things are moving in the right direction, but sometimes things take more time than we want. Worlds this year was at a challenging time for sailing in Barcelona after being postponed from September due to COVID. Over six days, we raced on three days and completed seven races. Quite different from the usual format of two races per day over six days. With wind only coming in the early morning, we biked down to the boat park as the sun rose in order to be on the water early for 9 am first guns in shifty and cold offshore conditions. We then would race and get sent in when the wind inevitably died. On two of the days, we were sent back out for a race just before dark. This was a very challenging event with extremely long days and lots of waiting. Results-wise I missed my goal and ended up in the silver fleet. On the positive side, I am very pleased with the lead-up to the regatta, my progression as an athlete on and off the water, and the team I have around me. I look forward to continuing the work towards further progress and the next Worlds in Mexico in May 2022.

Photo Credit: unknown

RESULTS

2021 ILCA 7 EUROPEAN CHAMPIONSHIPS

I competed in my second European Championship in Varna, Bulgaria, from the 4th to the 9th of October a few weeks ago. After training in moderate conditions and warmish weather pre-regatta, severe fall conditions set in as the regatta kicked off, bringing colder temperatures, mostly overcast skies, and breeze. Nothing my super warm wet suit and an offshore jacket couldn’t mitigate, but the long waits compounded the adverse conditions on the water as the race committee struggled to efficiently get races going. Some days we spent 6 hours on the water for one race in 18 knots.

As for the racing, it was my first regatta with my new coach, and I am happy with several parts of my regatta. Unfortunately, I missed my goal of making the gold fleet by 7 points due to some costly mistakes made on the first day. I finished 72nd of 115. I felt like I left a lot on the table and could have finished much better, but I do have to appreciate that at my last Laser Europeans in Porto 2019 I placed 127/162.
Progress!

RESULTS

2021 VILAMOURA COACH'S REGATTAS - ROUNDS 1 & 2

After the European Continental Qualifier, I stayed in Vilamoura to train and compete in 2 more coach's regattas at the same venue. The first regatta ran for four days, the second week of May. We managed eight races in moderate wind, but I didn't have my best showing, finishing 30/33 boats. The second regatta came two weeks later after a week of hard training. By the time the second coach's regatta began, the area had begun to heat up, bringing light winds. I definitely started to get a feel for the wind pattern when it got lighter. I sailed my best regatta yet against most of the top guys going to the Olympics, placing 14/50 and beating a few pretty good sailors.

RESULTS

RESULTS

Unfortunately, because of the light and shifty winds, we only got four races off. Still, I was pleased with my performance, especially on the first beats - rounding the windward consistently around 10th except for my drop. While I certainly have a long way to go to reach my goals, this might be the first flicker of light at the end of the tunnel for performing at this level.

PHOTO: Joao Costa Ferreira - Osga.photo

2021 VILAMOURA EUROPEAN CONTINENTAL QUALIFICATION

Racing has wrapped up here in Vilamoura. Six days and 12 races later against a worlds level fleet (minus competitors from Australia and New Zealand) was challenging for sure. Unfortunately, I missed my goal of qualifying for the gold fleet after the first 3 days of racing. Undeterred, I put this aside and worked my way up to 10th in silver fleet, to finish the regatta 80th overall out of 139 boats. While I fell short of my goal, this is a significant improvement since I was at a competition of this level in Australia over a year ago. The hard work I’ve been putting in is starting to pay off.

Over the 6 days of sailing, we saw 2 different wind directions and varying strengths. The first 3 days were from the south-west with 15-18 knots, and 10-12 knots on the 4th day. It then shifted to the south-east for the final 2 days of the regatta bringing stronger 17-22 knot winds and massive swell.

This video illustrates conditions on the final two days.
VIDEO CREDIT: Vilamoura Sailing

Congratulations to Spain and the Netherlands for qualifying their nations for Tokyo 2020.

RESULTS
PHOTOS: Joao Costa Ferreira - Osga.photo

2020 ILCA STANDARD MEN'S WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP

Photo Credit: Jon West
www.jonwest.photography

I just returned home to a wintery Toronto, having experienced my first Senior World Championships in Melbourne, Australia. It was a great week, sailing against the best of the fleet, all at the top of their game. After 3 days of races on Port Phillip Bay, I unfortunately missed my goal and finished the qualifying series in the bronze fleet. While this was initially disappointing, it is vital to keep things in perspective. This fleet was stacked with experience and talent, including 5 Olympic medalists and every laser world championship medalist since 2013 but one. As someone who is still at the beginning of their journey in the Laser, though difficult, it was essential to shift my mindset from seeking straight results to seeking valuable experience. 

Each day brought decently strong winds from 15 to 20 knots from a similar direction. Adding to the difficulty was the lack of stability in the wind, with shifts usually only over a range of 20 degrees. Still, a mix of persistent and oscillations left strategy to be a guessing game. This event was an excellent opportunity to benchmark the strength of this fleet in an Olympic year. With the worlds acting as a selection event for many countries, most competitors were at their peak and brought their best. I had some good moments in conditions I am least comfortable in, including a few strong starts around some legends. While it's now clear I have my work cut out for me to ensure I raise my game,  I look forward to returning to the 2021 Worlds prepared to achieve stronger results next year.

A great experience overall.
Photo credit: Elle Bruce

A big thanks to all of my loyal supporters for your help getting me to Australia. I can’t stress enough how valuable this experience has been. Thanks also to my dad who took time off work to support us on the water. And of course to my mum who came and took photos.

RESULTS
ELLE BRUCE PHOTOS

2020 HEMPEL WORLD CUP MIAMI

With the medal race wrapping up just over a week ago, my second Miami World Cup came to a close. Disappointingly, I was in the coach boat watching a number of my teammates instead of in my Laser racing with them. 

After day one I was sitting in 12th place and felt I could move up to secure a spot in the medal race.
Photo Credit: Pedro Martinez/Sailing Energy

Although impressively half of the 10 competitors in the Laser medal race were Canadian, the athlete from Trinidad and Tobago beat out the Canadians to finish 4th and secured a spot at his 3rd Olympics. Sadly this leaves Canada without a place in the Laser fleet at the Tokyo 2020 games. 

Unfortunately, this turn of events will bring some changes to the team. A few athletes will likely retire, meaning that valuable training partners will disappear. While 2020 was never my goal, I had hoped to experience a Canadian Olympic trials process and was looking forward to spending a bit more time with the senior members of our team to better prepare myself for 2024. 

Checking in with Canadian Team coach Larry Lemieux.
Photo Credit: Pedro Martinez/Sailing Energy

While my results for this event could have been better, I feel confident about the training I had going into the event. I am grateful for the reminder of the importance of staying focused on the process. After the first day, I was sitting in 12th place and felt that I could move up into the medal race. Unfortunately, I put extra pressure on myself to achieve this and lost sight of the process, which is what has gotten me to strong results. Over the following days, I fell to 23rd place after some flag trouble (penalties) and poor decision making. While 23rd is a significant improvement from last year, it's essential to acknowledge that the fleet was weaker, with 40 instead of 100 boats and almost no sailors from outside of North and South America. 

Regardless, I'll move forward, grateful for the valuable lesson, and a deep motivation to ensure that our country spot at the 2024 Olympics is qualified before the final regional qualifier, so Canada isn't in this situation again.

RESULTS
VIDEO REPLAY - MEDAL RACE (Laser begins 2:40)

2019 LASER U21 WORLD CHAMPIONSHIPS

Unseasonably warm and wind only first thing in the morning. This race was my 10th finish.
PHOTOS: ILCA Laser Under 21 Worlds Media

In my experience, the U21 Worlds often come down to the last day. This year in Split, Croatia, they came down to the last day more so than ever with light winds due to unseasonably warm temperatures plaguing the event from day one. After 5 days of the event, the fleets had only completed two races each early in the morning.

Canadians waiting for wind.
PHOTOS: ILCA Laser Under 21 Worlds Media

The final day arrived with a cold and rainy breeze from a new direction of southeast. Three races were completed under stormy skies in 15-20 knots of wind. I had strong starts and gave it my all, knowing it all came down to one day. In the three races, I scored notably consistent finishes of 12, 18, and 13. After dropping my 36th from day one, this left me with a 10, 12, 18, and 13 for 53 points and a 20th place finish overall. This is a huge result for me, improving vastly from 67th last year and a fantastic finish to my age group career.

Start line on the final day - you can just see barely me at the pin end for this one (215019)
PHOTOS: ILCA Laser Under 21 Worlds Media

I’d like to thank everyone who supported me on the road to achieving this result. Special thanks to Chris Cowan my full time laser coach these past few years. Under your guidance I have continued to make consistent progress towards my goals. Thanks also to Greg Lewandowski for your strength and conditioning expertise, and to Chris Hewson for support as event coach.

Of course, I wouldn’t be able to be doing any of this without the great support from donors, my parents, or PCYC, thank you.

For the next little bit, I will be focusing on fitness and finishing up the rest of this semester of university before resuming on water training again in Florida this December in preparation for Miami World Cup in January and my first Men’s Worlds in Melbourne, Australia, in February 2020.

RESULTS

2019 KIEL WEEK

PHOTO CREDIT: Chris Cowan

I’m happy to report that Kiel week went very well this year! I kept up my building momentum from both Canadians and Europeans. My focus goal for this event was to have solid starts, and I managed that in 7/9 races leading to good results. The other two races I had a little too good of a start and received a BFD (scored as DNC by the race committee) and the other I got rolled quickly. After two days of heavy wind and two days of light wind, I finished the regatta in 18th place out of 60 sailors. I am proud of my result, as I met my goal of finishing in the top half. I think with a stronger 2nd day when it was windy with chop from all directions I could have made the medal race. I am keen to focus on improving my boat speed in those conditions so that next time there is a similar level fleet I ensure my participation in the race on the final day which is often broadcasted so everyone at home can watch.

PHOTO CREDIT: Chris Cowan

Next up I’m off to the Laser North American Championships in Brant Beach, New Jersey where I hope to represent Port Credit Yacht Club and Canada near the top of the podium.

2019 KIEL WEEK RESULTS

2019 LASER SENIOR EUROPEAN CHAMPIONSHIP

Duro Marina - host for the 2019 Laser European Championship

I have just returned from the hardest and longest event I’ve ever competed in. The Laser Senior European Championships just wrapped up in Porto, Portugal this past Saturday. Six days of racing against the best in the world was an incredible learning experience. From frustration in light winds over the first couple days to gruelling 23-minute upwinds in 20 knots in the last few the event offered every challenge imaginable.

I finished 127 out of 162 competitors and 5th Canadian. I was very pleased to have my best races come on the last two days in the heaviest winds of the event. This gave me confidence in my ability in the conditions I don’t generally favour. This event made me realize how much stronger these European fleets are and how much more time I need to spend starting next to the best to beat them.

RESULTS

Good starts were my goal and they were key to doing well. This photograph captures one of my starts in the qualifying races. (middle of photo - sail #215019)