Sail Nova Scotia Mobile Sailing School at Africville named Sail Canada’s Recreation Event of the Year

Sail Canada announced today that the Sail Nova Scotia Mobile Sailing School at Africville has won Sail Canada’s Recreation Event of the Year Award for 2025.

The Recreation Event Award recognizes a club, an organization, an individual or a group, which is Canadian-based and affiliated with Sail Canada, that has contributed to the promotion of recreational sailing in Canada. In order to be eligible for the award, clubs or associations must be members in good standing with Sail Canada.

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

Every summer in July and August, Sail Nova Scotia operates a Mobile Sailing School that visits communities unable to provide their youth with access to sailing, therefore introducing the sport to up to 100 participants.

From August 18-22, 2025, the Sail Nova Scotia Mobile Sailing School was hosted by the Africville Heritage Museum, which recruited 12 African Nova Scotian and Indigenous youth to participate at no cost. These youth spent the week learning to sail on Laser Picos and trying out foiling disciplines, i.e. wingfoil, foil boards and Nacra 17. The foiling equipment and coaches were provided by WeCANFoil as part of their 2025 Foil4All Event, in collaboration with Sail Nova Scotia and the Africville Heritage Museum.

The youth participants were excited to learn new skills and to connect with their maritime heritage. Families and friends were also invited to join for an evening of sailing education and celebration during a tour of the Bedford Basin from the water in sailboats, schooners, and power boats.

Africville’s success as a Mobile Sailing Community Host will open doors for participation in the future as they will be continuing to provide opportunities for sailing and boating by launching a Marina and sailing school of their own.

“We’ve been hearing from the parents that when the kids come home at the end of the day, they can’t stop talking about their experience,” said Africville Heritage Museum Executive Director, Juanita Peters. “I heard a student say: ‘Its not just instruction. We’re able to play, too’. This particular program is geared toward African Nova Scotian and Indigenous students, predominantly, because sailing is one of those sports that really has not been open to underserved communities. We want to change that. We want to open the doors and give these students a chance to see what that’s like and to see if they can find their place in it. It’s very exciting because these are jobs and careers that can take people around the world. Also, we aim to reintroduce people to the water, and the benefits of it.”

“Sail Nova Scotia would like to thank some of our incredible community partners for making this event possible,” added Sail Nova Scotia Technical Director Sophia Josenhans. “In particular, Juanita Peters and her team at the Africville Heritage Museum for hosting us, as well as Tara Macaulay and Agustin Ferrario from WeCANFoil. This event would not have been as impactful as it was without their dedication, support, and passion!”

Additional information on the Recreation Event of the Year Award is available at https://www.sailing.ca/recreation-event-award-past-winners/.

By Sail Canada