Kingston, March 16, 2022 – Sail Canada announced today that three-time Laser Olympian in Sailing Andrew Lewis has been named ILCA 7 Canadian National Team Coach.

Lewis competed in three Olympic Games in Laser (ILCA 7). He first took the 37^th spot in 2012 in London. In his preparation toward the 2016 Games, he had a life-threatening accident in Rio de Janeiro in December 2015, before he came back in time to compete at the Olympic Games where he finished 39^th. Finally, last summer at Tokyo 2020, he closed his Olympic career with a 29^th position.

“Since then, Andrew Lewis has focussed on becoming a world-class coach and bringing its teams to the peak level by using his existing technical skills and combining with his vision of a complete athlete”, said Sail Canada High Performance Director, Mike Milner. “We are looking forward to Andrew moving the team to another level.”

“I have given 15 years of my life to my Olympic Career, and sailing in return has given me back everything I have in my life today”, said Andrew Lewis, also confirming he is retiring as an active athlete to fully focus on coaching. “Now, it’s time to take all I have learnt and create champions on and off the water. This opportunity with Sail Canada has me fired up, on another level, and I am excited to see what we can create together.”

Lewis, from Trinidad and Tobago, will coach 

two-time Canadian Olympian Tom Ramshaw, as well as the ILCA 7 athletes from Sail Canada Development Squad.

Ramshaw, who represented Canada at the Olympic Games in Rio in 2016 as well as at Tokyo 2020 in the Finn class, switched last fall to ILCA 7 as Tokyo was the last time Finn was held at the Games since it is not scheduled for Paris in 2024.

About Sail Canada
Established in 1931, Sail Canada is the national governing body for the sport of sailing in the country. Sail Canada is a leading international sailing nation, proud of its world class athletes, lifelong participants and inclusive culture. The organization and its members are committed to excellence by developing and
training its leaders, athletes, sailors, instructors, coaches and officials. With the valued support from our partners, the Provincial Sailing Associations and our member clubs, schools, organizations and stakeholders, sailing is promoted in all its forms. By setting standards and delivering programs from
home pond to podium for Canadians of all ages and abilities, from dinghies to keelboats, cruising to navigation, windsurfing to powerboating and accessible sailing, Sail Canada sets sail for all, sail to win and sail for life.

A sport in the Olympic program since the first Games in 1896, except in 1904, the pursuit of success in these Games is what fuels the focus of Sail Canada as Canadian athletes have so far achieved nine Olympic and five Paralympic medals.