![Three people in life jackets sit on a sailboat.](https://frequencynews-wpoffloadmedia.s3.ca-central-1.amazonaws.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/29112929/Untitled-design-1024x683.jpg)
Cortes sailing school offers access, training to underrepresented individuals in an ‘elitist sport’
A local sailing company “Calma Sailing” is offering a free sailing course aimed at providing Indigenous and lower-income people an opportunity to learn the sport.
“I think sailing is a bit of an elitist sport,” said Dominik Domanski, co-owner of Calma Sailing. “It seems so inaccessible.”
Funding is provided by Sail Canada’s “Sailing for All” initiative, created to support grassroots programs in delivering sailing experiences to underserved and underrepresented communities and groups.
“When this opportunity came up, I thought it’d be great to give the opportunity to people who live on Cortes, who, even though they live in this area, the sport might not be so accessible to them,” added Domanski.
Calma Sailing Co is based on Cortes Island owned by Dominik and Ania Domanski. The course is two days (running Aug. 12-13 and then Aug. 15-16) with a Sailing Canada certificate earned on completion on at the Gorge Harbour Resort.