In sailing equality, energy and excitement combined with equity on and off the water can take many forms. Sometimes in the most unlikely of places as when we think of sailing, we don't really think of Canada. We picture Newport, San Diego, San Francisco, the Mediterranean, Mexico etc....

The relaunch of the Northstar Canadian SailGP Team and with what Concord Pacific Racing accomplished in the UniCredit Youth and Puig Women's America's Cup recently in Barcelona, Catalonia that is about to change as “It’s Time” for Canadian athletes who are ready to break thru the proverbial ice and shatter those northern “woods” sailing perceptions.

Canada's maritime history is as rich and storied as any country, it’s not just “Bluenose” and in moving forward the time has come to get used to seeing that scarlet crimson maple leaf out in front of the fleet as several companies, combined with a massive fan support network plus investment groups begin to step forward in support of a burgeoning group of young sailors along with seasoned champions on multiple professional sailing fronts.

For me the wake-up call was a bit of a shock as I meandered through the unfamiliar streets of Barcelona one rainy evening shortly after my arrival to a dinner event, at the invitation of longtime Canadian SailGP Marketing Director Jennifer Hall an “orchestra” rockstar.

I assumed I was heading to an open house “happy hour” at a Catalan Tap Room in support of the surprise announcement of a SailGP Canadian “Renaissance”.

As I ran into my good friend Lana from SailGP at the front door, I had no idea what lay ahead as we worked our way up the winding staircase to a private dining room upstairs. It was elegant in its majesty and as out of place as I felt having come from being on the water that afternoon still dressed like the “dude” in my foul weather gear I was in for a pleasant surprise.

The assembled party was warm and welcoming for this celebratory gathering not only welcoming Giles Scott as the new driver for the team, but also the acquisition of the Canada SailGP Team by biotech entrepreneur, Dr. Greg Bailey.

It turned out to be a monumental and delightful evening, Barcelona was truly beginning to feel like home!

For starters, blazing into their third season in the league is the NorthStar SailGP Team with Scott now embedded as driver is packed with homegrown Canadian talent, including flight controller Billy Gooderham, strategists Annie Haeger and Georgia Lewin-LaFrance (Canadian Olympic 49erFX sailor with her sister Antonia) as well as grinders Tim Hornsby (American Magic), Jareese Finch, Tom Ramshaw as well as ex-Team USA crew Paul Campbell-James and Copper Dressler.

Speaking about the new identity, team principle and CEO Phil Kennard said: “NorthStar SailGP Team embodies our drive to compete fiercely while staying true to our values. This new name speaks to our Canadian roots and our desire to be a guiding light in both sport and wellness. We want to set a powerful example that performance and purpose go hand in hand, inspiring fans and athletes to live fully and actively.”

“The North Star represents strength, direction and inspiration, qualities that define our team on and off the water,” said Scott. “We’re thrilled to compete under this new name and to make Canada proud as I’m really looking forward to representing Canada at the highest level of our sport in this upcoming season. 

“Winning the inaugural Canada (in Halifax) event last season was an unforgettable experience, as the energy of Canadian fans was like no other. Canada has already proven to be a competitive force, and I’m determined to build on that success with a talented crew beside me.”

A physician, financier and entrepreneur, Dr. Greg Bailey is co-founder and executive chairman of Juvenescence and chairman of Max Insurance, a Canadian property and casualty insurance company. Celebrating this latest venture, his first foray into sport.

“This is such a unique opportunity to participate with an extraordinarily talented team, in the most dynamic and exciting grand prix sailing league,” said Bailey. “It was important to me to ensure that Canada continued to be represented in SailGP with its format of nation vs nation competition and a level playing field. I believe that the team will continue to inspire people to participate in sport, whether it is sailing or any other physical activity.”

It was a busy “Canadian” time in the Catalonian capital as the following day at the Press Conference for the Puig Women’s America’s Cup we were all reminded and “served” that "It's Time" for female athletes in sports as Concord Pacific team leader Isabella Bertold stood front and center in those blazing Canadian colors sending us all a clear and distinct message that the glass ceiling in sailing was about to be shattered!

The “It’s Time” campaign is a bold initiative to inspire future generations of female athletes and challenge the status quo in a sport that has been historically male dominated. The campaign highlights the passion and determination of Team Canada’s women’s team, sailing under the banner of Concord Pacific Racing, as they step onto the pinnacle stage of sailing.

“It’s about time women were on this stage,” said Bertold, “This campaign is about more than racing. It’s about shining a spotlight on the incredible female athletes in our team and providing young girls with role models. If you can see it, you can be it, and we want to show aspiring female athletes that they too can compete at the highest level.”

Ultimately the performance on the water in Barcelona did not match the enthusiasm of the team as the weather and mechanical gremlins threw curveballs during the events, but ultimately that will not deter the passion of the Canadians going forward.

“I feel incredibly proud to represent Canada on the world stage in this historic first Women’s America’s Cup,” said Bertold, who also has served as strategist on the Canadian SailGP team. “With women’s sport finally taking center stage, the phrase “if you can see it, you can be it” is incredibly powerful, especially for young girls in sport.”

Scott, a two-time Olympic Gold Medalist was born in the UK and holds Canadian Passport spent some of his early years there learning to sail on the Ottawa River. Last year he took over as driver for the Emirates GBR SailGP Team mid-way through Season 4, steering the team to victory in Halifax and is also on the INEOS Britannia America’s Cup Team as a co-helmsman.

Scott admits he was surprised when Kennard contacted him “out of the blue” as the deal progressed in the background and was “taken aback” by the offer because he was “very much in with the Emirates GBR team” which like INEOS is led by Sir Ben Ainslie. 

“It was a pretty amazing offer that I just jumped at,” said Scott. “We want to grow, we want to inspire Canadian kids, we want to win races, and we want the team to be a commercial success.”

“We’ve seen that experience is pretty key to having success in the league and the Canadian team has an amazing foundation,” said Scott. “There is, therefore, no reason to tear it all apart and build it back up. The team is incredibly good and hopefully I can come in, make a few small changes and ultimately we can step up the leaderboard. It’s a little bit daunting, but we’ll get through it.”