Terry McLaughlin awarded Sail Canada’s Rolex Sailor of the Year

Sail Canada’s Rolex Sailor of the Year was awarded at a gala event at the Carlu in Toronto Friday night (Feb. 28). Appropriately for the Oscars weekend, the winner was not announced until the final stage of the ceremonies to keep the attendance guessing.

The nominees were Laser Masters World Champion Al Clark, IFDS Bronze medallists John McRoberts and Jackie Gay in the Sonar Class, or New York Yacht Club Invitational Cup winning skipper Terry McLaughlin.

It would prove to be McLaughlin that would take home the Rolex, acknowledging the team effort that went into the Royal Canadian Yacht Club’s defence of the New York Yacht Club Invitational Cup which the club first won in 2011. It is the second time that McLaughlin has received Sail Canada’s Rolex Sailor of the Year.

“It was a great honor to be nominated with such fine Canadian Sailors,” noted McLaughlin. “Congratulations to John, Jackie and Al, your achievements over the last year were fantastic, and we all deserved to be here.”

Amongst other awards winner on the night was Evert Bastet, Sail Canada’s Volunteer of the Year, who partnered with McLaughlin in the 1984 Los Angeles Olympic Games and won a silver medal in the Flying Dutchman. “Terry is always proud to fly the Canadian flag and sail for Canada,”

“The Sail Canada 2013 Sailor of the Year event is a tribute to extraordinary endeavour by Canadians involved in sailing activity,” stated Paddy Boyd, Executive Director of Sail Canada. “It is important to recall the great contributions to Canadian sailing, whether through the individual brilliance of Al Clarke or the team contributions represented by Terry McLaughlin, and John McRoberts and Jackie Gay.”

Members of Team RCYC that won the New York Yacht Club Invitational Cup:
Terry McLaughlin, skipper
John Hele, tactician
Dave Jarvis, main
John Millen, trim
Andrew McTavish, trim
Rob Gale, spin trim
Allan Megarry, navigator
Will Gyles, mast
Mark Robertson, mid bow
Sandy Andrews, bow
And Jim Gibson, pit and token American
Note: The team also won the 2013 Swan 42 US National Championship, but with Terry and John Hele switching roles. Rob, John M., Allan and Sandy sailed with Terry in the 1983 Americas Cup and/or various Canada’s Cup campaigns.

Recipients of the 2013 Sail Canada Awards
Skippers’ Plan Female Athlete of the Year
Isabella Bertold

Skippers’ Plan Team of the Year
John McRoberts & Jackie Gay

Volunteer of the Year
Evert Bastet

Coach of the Year
Rob Frost

City of Kingston Regatta of the Year
Canadian Optimist Dinghy Championships, Royal St. Lawrence Yacht Club

Bill Burk Youth Elite Memorial
Male – Sandy Beatty
Female – Corinne Peters

Gerry Roufs Trophy
Eric Holden

Instructor of the Year
Jenn Grierson

Marvin McDill Memorial Award
Jacob Chaplin Saunders & Graeme Chaplin Saunders

Nathan Cowan Memorial Award
Sam Gustin & Ian Woodbury



William Abbott Sr. Trophy; 
Sail Training Program of the Year
Nepean Sailing Club

Recreation Event of the Year
Sail All – Lunenburg Yacht Club

Source: Sail Canada