Canada SailGP Team is pleased to announce two key appointments as the team’s preparations continue in the lead up to the start of Season 3 in Bermuda.
Leading Canada SailGP Team will be incoming CEO Jean-Sébastien Chénier Proteau. An accomplished team manager who hails from Montreal, Jean-Sébastien brings extensive experience in leading professional sailing teams having worked with China SailGP Team, Dongfeng Racing in the around the world Volvo Ocean Race and in his most recent role as Executive Director of Spindrift.
On the water, world match racing champion Phil Robertson (NZL) will be in the driver’s seat of the Canadian team’s F50. Robertson is renowned for his experience in getting new entrants up to speed on the fast-paced F50 racing championship and is actively building a world-class team of Canadian athletes. Robertson led China SailGP Team to a podium finish in Season 1 and will wrap up Season 2 with the Spanish team next month at the grand final in San Francisco.
“We not only have the ambitious task of building a team from scratch, with little to no experience of this kind in Canada, but we also have the goal to be competitive against the best teams in the world,” said Phil Robertson, Driver – Canada SailGP Team. “The first step for us is to build a solid sailing squad, from there we will develop everyone’s knowledge of foiling and then start to work on the specific skills required to sail an F50.
“Broad sailing experience is key however, there is nothing out there that can truly prepare you to race an F50. So that is what we’ll be focusing on in the coming months. It’s a very exciting project to be part of,” Phil Robertson, Driver – Canada SailGP Team, said.
Founded by lifelong sailor and tech entrepreneur Fred Pye, Canada SailGP Team is the first sporting property of its kind in Canada. A start up in every sense, the team is very focused on building partnerships and a nationwide fanbase.
“With Jean-Sébastien and Phil onboard, the team has strong leadership on and off the water. It’s one of the first key steps of our multi-year plan which aims to inspire a whole new generation of sailors across the country,” Fred Pye, Owner of Canada SailGP Team, said.
SailGP’s Season 3 promises to be action-packed with events scheduled around the globe, as well as the prospect of an event in Canada in 2023 for Season 4. Follow the team on social media for more announcements and updates in the lead up to the start of Season 3, kicking off May 14-15 in Bermuda.
About SailGP
SailGP races for a better future, championing a world powered by nature. The world’s most exciting race on-water, SailGP features national teams battling in short, intense races at iconic stadium-style venues across the globe, building to the grand final – and sailing’s top prize of US$1 million. The high-tech, high-speed action features sailing’s best athletes racing in identical hydro foiling F50 catamarans, flying at speeds approaching 100 km/h. For more information, see: SailGP.com.
About the Canada SailGP Team
Canada SailGP Team, an independent team, is the10th team to join SailGP and will start racing at the beginning of Season 3 in Bermuda. The team and its partners are committed to increasing sailing’s popularity in Canada and establishing a pathway for extraordinary athletes in the sport. The Canadian team is an entrepreneurial start up that is all about passion, purpose and risk-taking – elements that lead to winning. For more information, see: SailGP.com/teams/canada/
By SailGP
