Canadian sailors selected to represent Canada at the 2026 Offshore Double Handed World Championship
by Sail Canada 30 Jul 20:23 UTC
23 September - 2 October, 2026
Michael Egberts and Catherine Kierans selected to represent Canada at the 2026 Offshore Double Handed World Championship © Sail Canada
Michael Egberts and Catherine Kierans, representing the Royal Canadian Yacht Club, have been selected to represent Canada at the 2026 Offshore Double Handed World Championship to be held September 23-October 2 in Marseille, France.
Respectively aged of 41 and 38 years old, Michael Egberts and Catherine Kierans are a husband-and-wife team who have been racing double handed offshore together since 2019. They started racing together in Ideal 18s with spinnaker double handed from 2014 to 2019, being the winning club champions in 2015. They competed together in five consecutive starts in the Susan Hood Trophy Race, they completed the Lake Ontario 300 regatta, while recording consistent results in the Lake Ontario Short-Handed Racing Series.
Since they purchased their 1987 C&C 33-2 Big Lou in 2017, they progressively developed their offshore racing skills, culminating in Category 3 OSR compliance. Their offshore racing is complemented by 3,346 NM of combined racing and cruising passages on Lake Ontario, including 22 passages over 60 NM and 11 overnight passages.
"Over ten years racing as a husband-and-wife team has led us from Toronto harbour to offshore, every mile an adventure and opportunity to grow as sailors and partners", said Michael Egberts and Catherine Kierans. "The Lake Ontario offshore community has shaped who we are on the water, and we're deeply proud to represent Canada on the world stage in Marseille."
About Michael Egberts
Michael Egberts has been sailing for his entire life, including attending junior sail at the Whitby Yacht Club and Royal Canadian Yacht Club, racing with the RCYC High Performance Team (Laser), collegiate sailing at University of Toronto (Albacore, Club 420, Harbour 20), then transitioning to teaching learn to sail, supporting provincial, national, and international competitors as a race coach, then transitioning again to club racing, offshore racing, and cruising.
About Catherine Kierans
Catherine Kierans first started sailing in 2010 at Royal Canadian Yacht Club when her family bought a sailboat to try cruising. Starting from zero knowledge the sport, what followed has been a steep and rewarding learning curve. She has jumped at every opportunity to race and develop her skills, from Sail Canada's cruising curriculum through to offshore safety training, keeping pace with her ambitions on the water.