Sarah Douglas and the 49er team named Sail Canada Gallagher Skippers' Plan Athletes of the Year

Sarah Douglas and the 49er team of Will Jones and Justin Barnes named Sail Canada Gallagher Skippers' Plan Athletes of the Year © Sail Canada

Sarah Douglas from Toronto and the Canadian 49er Team comprised of Will Jones and Justin Barnes were named Gallagher Skippers' Plan Athletes of the Year for 2024.

The Gallagher Skippers' Plan Athletes of the Year Awards are given out annually to two current Canadian Sailors or Sailing Teams of different gender identities. The selected athletes have shown a record of outstanding achievement in national and international competition and have brought recognition to Canadian competitive sailing, set an example for other competitors through behaviour and manner, and have demonstrated leadership and sportsmanship. Nominations were evaluated based on a time period ranging from January 1 to December 31, 2024.

On the women's side, Sarah Douglas has been selected as the winner of the Gallagher Skippers' Plan Athlete of the Year Award for the sixth year in a row.

During the prescribed time period, Sarah Douglas took the 8th position in ILCA 6 at the Paris 2024 Olympic Games, thus earning a top-10 result and qualifying for the Medal Race for the second time in as many appearances at the Olympic Games.

She started out the 2024 season by finishing 26th at the ILCA 6 World Championships held in Argentina, which were a country qualifier for Paris 2024, except for Canada, which had already qualified at the 2023 World Sailing Championships. She then took the 17th position at the Princess Sofia Trophy Regatta, and was 8th at the French Olympic Week event.

"It's an incredible honour to be recognized as Sail Canada's Athlete of the Year once again," said Sarah Douglas. "This award reflects not just my hard work, but also the unwavering support of my coaches, family, and the sailing community who continue to push me forward. I'm proud to represent Canada on the world stage."

"This award feels even more meaningful as I've been recovering from hip surgery — a journey that has tested my resilience and reminded me of the importance of patience and perseverance. I can't wait to be back on the water!"

Will Jones and Justin Barnes: Gallagher Skippers' Plan Male Athletes of the Year

On the men's side, Will Jones from Aldershot, ON, and Justin Barnes from Pickering, ON, were named Gallagher Skippers' Plan Male Athletes of the Year for 2024.

The team, which first came together in 2023, initially qualified an Olympic spot for Canada at the Santiago 2023 Pan American Games by winning the bronze medal, and then qualified themselves for the Paris Games at the 2024 Princess Sofia Trophy Regatta.

At this event held in Spain, Jones and Barnes earned their Olympic ticket after a tight race between three Canadian teams.

The Canadian 49er team took the 17th position in Marseille, as Jones was taking part in his second Olympic Games and Barnes, his first.

In 2024, they also finished 39th at the 49er World Championship, 35th at the Princess Sofia Trophy Regatta, and 48th at the 49er European Championship.

"We are honoured to accept the Gallagher Skippers' Plan Male Athletes of the Year Award for 2024," said Will Jones and Justin Barnes. "For our team, 2024 was the culmination of countless hours of hard work and growth as a team, and we're extremely proud to have represented Canada at the Paris Olympic Games. We would like to thank our coaches, families and supporters who have been with us every step of the way. Thank you, Sail Canada, for this incredible honour."

Additional information on the Gallagher Skippers' Plan Athletes of the Year Awards is available at www.sailing.ca/the-skippers-plan-athletes-teams-of-the-year-past-winners.