Page 24 - Sports Energy News, Cornwall, Issue No 113

24 Issue #113 June 2022
Canadian national Sailing Team Member
Luke Ruitenberg Visits Area
By Jim Riddell
uke Ruitenberg, a member of
Lthe Canadian National Sailing
Team, spent some time recently
visiting relatives in the Long Sault
area and working out with local
personal trainer, Steve Tyrell.
Ruitenberg, from St. Margaret’s
Bay, Nova Scotia, just returned to
Canada after spending the winter
competing in regattas throughout
Europe. After leaving Long
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Sault, Luke was off to the World
Championships in Puerta Vallarta
Mexico, where the Canadian
Team will be competing in the
ILCA (International Laser Class
Association) division.
Luke’s first experience with
sailing came at aged 9 at a summer
camp at the Yacht Club in St.
Margaret’s Bay. Two years later,
Luke was part of a local race team
and by the time he turned 12, he was
a member of COAST (Canadian
Photo Submitted
Optimists Atlantic Sailing Team) as he is competing in Kiel, Germany
which represented the Maritimes. right after the World Championships
COAST has produced many and will then be returning to Canada
elite sailors who have gone on to for a regatta in Kingston. The
represent Canada internationally 25-year-old Ruitenberg will be right
and at the Olympics. at home in Kingston, as he recently
graduated from Queen’s University
The ILCA class that Luke will
with a Bachelor of Commerce.
compete in while in Mexico, is
the same single-handed class that One of Luke’s goals is to compete
competes at the Olympics. Each of in the 2024 Paris Olympics where
the 130 sailors have their own craft only one athlete per division will
and will compete in two races daily, represent their country.
each of approximately one-hour
“There is no real team dynamic
duration over a six-day period. The
to sailing,” Ruitenberg stated.
first five days include fleet racing
“We obviously all want success
where all 130 boats compete, with
for the Canadian team and we are
the top ten boats competing for
all members of the team and train
medals on the final day.
together, but each of us has our own
“This is a fair system” Luke boat so it’s very much an individual
mentioned, “Sailing is a very effort. When we have our Olympic
weather-dependent sport with Trials in 2023 and 2024, I will
varying conditions. The best sailor be competing against the other
may not win the event, it will be the members of our team to determine
most consistent one that will.” which one of us represents Canada
in France.”
It will be a busy summer for Luke