Olympian Chris Cook joins CYA High Performance team

The Canadian Yachting Association is pleased to announce the appointment of Chris Cook to the new position of Development Team Manager.

Chris is a high performing Finn sailor who finished 5th in the 2008 Olympic Games and had numerous , podium finishes at International and North American based championships including a recent Bronze Medal finish at the World Cup Event in Palma in 2012. Chris was on target to compete in his 2nd games this year until struck by illness in the final trial. His immediate support for his fellow Finn sailor, Greg Douglas, who benefitted most from Chris’s withdrawal, was a display of his high quality sportsmanship.

Chris has had coaching roles with the Royal Canadian Yacht Club, Ontario Sailing and previously with CYA.

CYA has been developing a strategy for High Performance Sailing to embrace the next two Olympic/Paralympic Quadrennials. Entitled the 2020 Vision, the plan embraces a comprehensive approach to bridging the gap between provincial and national levels and international performance. The Canadian Sailing Development Team will focus on this area, using Chris’s skill and experience to identify and nurture talent in a world class structure leading to consistent long term success on the International Stage.

Chris will take up his role effective immediately, joining the current High Performance Management Team of Brian Todd, Steve Mitchell, Erik Stibbe and High Performance Director Ken Dool.

“Having devoted my life to the sport of sailing, it is both an honour and a source of pride for me to take on this new role,” explains Cook. “I am very much looking forward to continuing my coaching career with CYA and look forward to a successful future of sailing in Canada.”

CYA President, Alan Lombard, commenting on the appointment, said, “CYA is determined to put in place a long term sustainable structure that will equip our young sailors with the skills and experience to perform at the highest levels. Chris Cook’s appointment is one of a number of exciting initiatives that CYA is putting in place”

CYA’s High Performance Director Ken Dool said, “CYA is determined to achieve results through the creation of a system that is both robust and World Class. The addition of Chris in a development coaching capacity will help direct young athletes towards achieving both personal and federation goals.”

Chris can be reached at chris@sailing.ca

Reprinted from: canadiansailingteam.ca