Canada's first four sailors for the Pan American Games in Chile later this year have been selected. Canada's Evert McLaughlin and Alexandra Damley-Strnad, second right, race their snipe sail boat during her first race at the Pan American Games in Toronto on Sunday, July 12, 2015. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Nathan Denette
KINGSTON, ONTARIO – Canada’s first four sailors for the Pan American Games in Chile later this year have been selected.
Will Jones of Jerseyville, Ont., and Justin Barnes of Pickering, Ont., in the 49er, Mac Morrin of Kingston, Ont., in kiteboarding and Rebecca Heller of Dunrobin, Ont., in women’s iQFoil were chosen following the U.S. Open Sailing Series that concluded Sunday in Clearwater, Fla., Sailing Canada said Monday.
Kiteboarding and iQFoil are two sailing disciplines making their Olympic debuts in Paris in 2024.
The 2023 Pan American/Parapan American Games open Oct. 20 and close Nov. 5 in Santiago, Chile.
Sailors can earn Olympic berths for their countries in Santiago.
Jones and teammate Evan DePaul of Burlington, Ont., finished 19th in Tokyo’s Olympic Games in 2021.
Other upcoming Pan Am qualifiers are the Panam championship in March in the Dominican Republic and April’s Princess Sofia Regatta in Palma, Spain.
Sailors in Sunfish, Snipe and Lightning classes, which are not Olympic events, will have qualifying events later this year.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Feb. 6, 2023.