Seven Canadian sailors to take part in Paris 2024 Sailing Test Event

Sarah Douglas - 2023 ILCA 6 and ILCA 7 Senior European Championships © Thom Touw Sailing Photographer

A total of seven Canadian sailors will take part in the Paris 2024 Sailing Test Event to be held in Marseille, FRA, at the sailing competition venue for the Paris 2024 Olympic Games.

The event will start on Sunday, July 9, and will continue until Sunday, July 16.

Sarah Douglas (Toronto, ON, ABYC) in ILCA 6, Fillah Karim (Vancouver, B.C.-RVYC) in ILCA 7, Ali ten Hove (Kingston, ON, KYC) & Mariah Millen (Toronto, ON, RCYC) in 49erFX, William Jones (Jerseyville, ON-RHYC) & Justin Barnes (Pickering, ON-RCYC) in 49er, as well as Marie-Ève Mayrand (Calgary, AB) in Women's Kiteboarding will all represent Canada at the event, which will be following the Olympic format and will allow only one athlete/team per class per country. The 10 Olympic classes will all be in action throughout the week of competition.

Canadian athletes qualified for the Test Event by being the top Canadian team/athlete in their respective classes at the 2023 Princess Sofia Regatta held in April as per Sail Canada's Selection Process, available at www.sailing.ca/international-events.

The importance of the Paris 2024 Sailing Test Event

The Paris 2024 Sailing Test Event, one of the few test events scheduled prior to the start of the Paris 2024 Olympic Games, will be an important part of the athletes' preparation. This competition will be key because it will be the last opportunity, prior to the start of the Paris 2024 Olympics, for all sailors around the world who are vying to be at the 2024 Olympic Games to experience the conditions that they will encounter at the venue, in addition to competing against the best in the world. Over 60% of all the medalists at the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games or the 2022 World Championships for the Olympic events will be featured at the Paris 2024 Test Event.

In ILCA 6, Sarah Douglas will be facing the top 3 from the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games, i.e. Anne-Marie Rindom from Denmark, Josefin Olsson from Sweden and Marit Bouwmeester from the Netherlands, as well as the top 3 from the 2022 ILCA 6 World Championships -- Rindom, Maud Jayet from Switzerland, and Emma Plasschaert from Belgium.

"I've been spending a lot of time in France so far this summer and it'll be nice to get to race at the 2024 venue," said Sarah Douglas. "The racing will be just like at the Olympics, with one boat per class and the best of each country competing, and I expect a tight competition.

"I'll also be using the test event as a warm-up regatta for the 2023 World Sailing Championships. It's an opportunity to dial in the setups and routines that we will have at the 2024 Olympic Games."

Canadian Sailors at the Paris 2024 Test Event in Marseille, FRA

• 49er: William Jones (Jerseyville, ON-RHYC) & Justin Barnes (Pickering, ON-RCYC)
• 49erFX: Ali ten Hove (Kingston, ON, KYC) & Mariah Millen (Toronto, ON, RCYC)
• ILCA 6: Sarah Douglas (Toronto, ON, ABYC)
• ILCA 7: Fillah Karim (Vancouver, B.C.-RVYC)
• Kiteboarding (women): Marie-Ève Mayrand (Calgary, AB)

More information is available on Sail Canada website at www.sailing.ca.