Sail Canada Sail Central Championships at Hudson YC's Fruitbowl Regatta wins Regatta of the Year

2025 Sail Canada Sail Central Championships at Hudson Yacht Club Fruitbowl regatta win Sail Canada's Regatta of the Year Award © Sail Canada

Sail Canada announced today that the 2025 Sail Canada Sail Central Championships held at the Hudson Yacht Club Fruitbowl Regatta received Sail Canada's City of Kingston Regatta of the Year Award for 2025.

The City of Kingston Regatta of the Year Award recognizes a provincial, national or international regatta whereupon all aspects of race management have resulted in an overall organizational success. Key criteria are overall achievement of the event objectives, the level of community involvement and positive feedback from participants, including sailors, coaches and officials.

Nominations were evaluated based on a time period ranging from January 1 to December 31, 2025.

The 2025 Sail Canada Sail Central Championships at Hudson Yacht Club Fruitbowl regatta were held July 17-20, 2025, in Hudson, Québec. A total of 133 competitors took part in this event that saw some weather challenges which caused some abandonments and delays. However, 39 out of 42 schedules races were completed.

The event benefited from strong community engagement, with over 150 dedicated volunteers, club members, and local partners supporting race operations, safety, athlete services, and social programming. Sailors from Ontario, Quebec and beyond participated, creating a high-quality competitive environment.

The regatta was made even more valuable by the addition of two dedicated training days, where Olympian Lee Parkhill provided exceptional guidance and mentorship—not only for the athletes, but for the coaches as well.

The regatta was professionally planned and seamlessly executed, with all aspects of race management, from pre-event preparation to on-water operations and post-race activities, delivered to a consistently high standard. Certified officials, fair and well-run racing, and strong operational coordination ensured full alignment with Sail Canada standards and expectations. Clear and effective communication was also a key strength of the event.

From the nomination form: "This was our very first regatta in the Opti Green fleet and we had the best time. Everything was really well organised and made it so much fun and easy to enjoy. We loved being on the water, the cool T-shirts, the athletes' tent, games night, and the special athletes' dinner. We also loved the Sailors WhatsApp Group because it helped us know what was happening and helped us find our lost items!"

"I am truly honoured to accept this award and distinction from Sail Canada", said the Regatta Chairperson, Marcia McCrudden. "A sincere and heartfelt thank-you to the incredibly dedicated and hard-working team at the Hudson Yacht Club. This recognition is a testament to the unmatched spirit of volunteering at HYC. From the staff and management, to race committee, parents, and coaches - every individual involved contributed to the success of this regatta leading us to become a special venue for a national youth championship."

"Thank you so much to Sail Canada and all of the competitors from the 2025 Sail Canada Sail Central Championship! My favourite part of organizing this regatta was getting to know the enthusiastic young sailors and supporting them throughout the event. It is a gift to share my love for sailing with so many. We look forward to further opportunities to host future Sail Canada Championships, continuing to promote and highlight youth sailing at HYC's beloved Fruitbowl Regatta!"

More information on the City of Kingston Regatta of the Year Award.