ALL HANDS ON DECK for Snipe Team Canada 2024

Hello! We are a group of four youth sailors (Simone, Oliver, Henry and Lucas) who will be representing Canada this coming January 2-7 at the 2024 Snipe Class Junior World Championship in Miami, Fl.

It has been 20 years since Canada entered a boat in the Junior World Championship, and our team needs your help to make this happen. There is no government or sporting body that funds this sport, all costs are borne by sailors and their families. We would love to represent our country at this Championship regatta, and are looking for sponsors and donors to help us realize this dream.

We belong to the Guelph Community Boating Club, a small but passionate volunteer-run sailing community, home to Snipe Fleet 877, the biggest Snipe fleet in Canada (Snipe being a class of two-person racing sailboat). We all work as sailing instructors during the summer, creating a fun, welcoming and accessible environment for kids to get involved with the sport.

Our ages range from 16-20, and we've each competed in local regattas and national regattas. This is the first time since 2009 that the Junior World Championship has been hosted in North America, so this is a incredible opportunity for us to compete for Canada with sailors from around the world (Participant List ) without the costs associated with travelling overseas. Though driving to the regatta will help cut costs, since we come from a small volunteer-run club, we need help with fundraising to make this whole thing possible.

What donations will go towards:

Sailor accommodations for 8 days - $4100

Boat transport - $1500

Coach boat rental - $3000

Coach boat gas - $600

Sailor travel costs - $3525

Uniforms - $1000

Food for sailors - $500

Registration fees - $1126

TOTAL - $16215

We have an incredible team of volunteers, parents and fellow sailors behind us, including Chris and Harri - who participated in the first ever Junior World Championship in 1973 - and we are so very grateful for everyone's help, support and encouragement.

For any businesses interested in Sponsorship, please contact Catrien by clicking the link below. We would love to acknowledge your business on this page.

Check out the article just published in Guelph Today! https://www.guelphtoday.com/inspire/navigating-new-waves-and-the-shifting-winds-of-change-7852458

Who we are:

Boat 1

Hi! My name is Lucas, and I grew up in Guelph and started sailing at age 9, and I'm 20 now. I'm a 2nd year student at the University of Guelph. At the Junior World Championship I'll be the skipper in a boat with Oliver, who is actually the person who introduced me to sailing back in grade 3. I've loved the sport and the sailing community in Guelph ever since then, and I'm really looking forward to racing this winter and putting all the sailing skills I've learned over the years to work.

Hi! My name is Oliver Inglis. I have been sailing since I was about 7 years old and have been racing since around 2013. I am 19 years old and in my second year studying History at the University of Kings College in Halifax. There are too many parts of sailing that I love to tell them all here, but one of the things I love the most is the community that surrounds it. The people are always welcoming while still being competitive.

Boat 2

My name is Simone Maksym. As one of the only female coaches at the Guelph Community Boating Club I want to encourage other girls to try this incredibly fun and rewarding sport. I grew up in Guelph and I began sailing the summer before I was in grade 4, and I am now in grade 11 at GCVI. This January I will be skippering in the Junior Snipe World Championship along with Henry Noël as my crew. Sailing has been a huge part of who I am and from a very young age it has been a part of my life. Both the sailing community at Guelph Lake and the sport brings me so much joy and happiness. I am extremely excited to participate in this sport that I love so much and apply all of my practice over the years to every race this winter.

Hi! My name is Henry, I was born in Guelph and I have been sailing for the past 8 years. I am in my final year of highschool at John F. Ross. I first got into sailing when my friend told me about the Learn2Sail camp that happens during the summer at Guelph lake and I haven’t stopped since. At the Snipe Junior World Championship I will be crewing for Simone. I can't wait to get out on the water and sail in Miami.

A note from proud parents:

Our ever-so-humble kids wouldn’t tell you how hard they work and the hours of training they have dedicated to sharing their passion and sailing skills to kids. For seven weeks during the summer, they teach the Learn to Sail Program for kids ages 8-15. There are many advanced, technical and safety training courses they had to pass to have this position; these young athletes work so hard to be able to provide a safe and fun opportunity for the youth of Guelph to learn to sail. We are so proud of their commitment and that they take what they learn and give it back to the community.

We’ve got a rare opportunity before us - here we’ve got the skill, the right age, snipe boats being donated by GCBC members Chris (who volunteered to drive the boats to Miami) and Julian (who will also coach and provide logistical support on the water). This will be the first time ever that sailors from Guelph Lake will represent Canada in an International Championship. We would like to thank Chris and Julian and acknowledge Harri Palm and his late wife Molly Kurvink. Molly trained every one of our kids and fostered their love of sailing when they were still so young. Harri continued her legacy by taking over the role of head instructor; his passion and dedication has made a profound impact on our children. Fun fact: at the age of 16 Harri competed at the very first Junior Snipe World Championship in San Remo Italy, in 1973! We are eight parents trying to navigate and support this talented and determined young group, and we sincerely thank you for any support you can provide.