Elspeth Simms receives Nathan R. Cowan Memorial Award

Sail Canada announced today that Elspeth Simms from Halifax, N.S., has been named recipient of the Nathan R. Cowan Memorial Award for 2025.

Created in 2002, the Nathan R. Cowan Memorial Award aims to support developing sailors through financial support, a way to honour the memory of Nathan Cowan who, after years of determination and persistence, achieved his goal of becoming a Canadian Sailing Team member. However, a few months later, Nathan Cowan passed away tragically in a car accident.

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

In 2025, Elspeth Simms made the transition from Youth Sailing to competing on the Senior circuit while balancing her full-time studies at the University College of Dublin in Ireland. In March, she took part in her first senior Grand Slam Series event, the Princess Sofia Trophy Regatta in Spain. It was a great opportunity to be exposed to that level of competition, which helped her to prepare for her peak events at the end of the season.

At the 2025 ILCA Under-21 World Championships held later that year in Dun Laoghaire, Ireland, she finished in the 50th position out of 73 participants, followed by a 49th-place finish out of 81 sailors at the 2025 ILCA Under-21 European Championships and Open European Trophy held in Split, Croatia. Elspeth also finished third among female sailors at the Europa Cup Malta event and eighth at the Trofeo Levante Regatta.

“I am incredibly honoured to be receiving the Nathan Cowan Memorial Award,” said Elspeth Simms. “Nathan left a very strong legacy in Canadian sailing for his dedication and love for the sport. I am proud to be a part of this and to help keep his memory alive. Thank you to everyone who has supported me and to Sail Canada for this recognition.”

Elspeth continues to train and compete in the ILCA 6 class while finishing her studies.

More information on the Nathan R. Cowan Memorial Award is available at https://www.sailing.ca/nathan-r-cowan-memorial-award-for-developing-sailors-past-winners/.

By Sail Canada