Congratulations Ian Bruce, and thank you!

Hi Ralph, I thought you would like this. Cheers, Stephen
Yes, thank you, excellent! Montreal Sailing applauds Ian Bruce on his well-deserved honour. - Ralph


From the 29er North American website.

Her Excellency the Right Honourable Michaelle Jean, Governor General of Canada, announced on Canada Day the newest appointees to the Order of Canada, Canada's highest Honour. Amongst the appointees is the Father of the Laser, Ian Bruce, an Industrial Designer by profession and a boat builder by occupation.

With a concept in mind and a set of lines drawings from friend and fellow Canadian Bruce Kirby, he created in 1970 a boat, rig and manufacturing process that has essentially remained unchanged to this day and still represents the epitome of one-design sailing. By 1974, he had opened 9 majority-owned plants worldwide building the Laser and the rest is history.

He is also a passionate sailor having twice won the prestigious Prince of Wales Trophy in International Fourteens and twice represented his country in the Olympics in the Finn (Naples) and the Star (Keel).

The award is in recognition of his service to sailing, both in Canada and Internationally, and in particular for his involvement in the design and development of high-performance boats for young sailors. During 40 years in the business he has either designed or assisted in the design, developed and built all the following International or Recognized Classes: Finn, Fourteen, Contender, Laser, Optimist, Fireball, 470, Laser II, Tasar, Laser Radial, Byte and 29er. In the last instance he was part of a team assisting Julian Bethwaite in the development of the 29er, providing the design team with both his product design knowledge and his sailing experience. His own design, the Byte, is the male and female singlehander to be used in the 2010 Youth Olympic Games in Singapore.

At 76 he is still sailing his Star and his company PS2000 in Montreal, in which he is fully active, builds the Optimist, the Club 420, the Megabyte, the Byte and the 29er.

7/2/09

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