Morgan Cross / B次元官网网址 contributor
The Royal Victoria Yacht ClubB次元官网网址檚 packs his bags for Split, Croatia to compete in the 2017 Laser Standard MenB次元官网网址檚 World Championships Sept. 12. Gallant, 21, has been since seven years old, under coach Stephen McBride for the past 11 years and now under the instruction of both McBride and Laser coach Erik Vanderpol.
Gallant returned from the 2017 CORK Olympic Classes Regatta, Sail Canada Senior Championships Aug. 23, where he tied for fourth and fifth place with the United StatesB次元官网网址� Scott Rasmussen, among 35 other North American competitors.
Upon returning home, he said, B次元官网网址淚B次元官网网址檓 feeling really good B次元官网网址� the person in second (Erik Bowers) came only one point ahead of us.B次元官网网址�
At the upcoming World Championships, Gallant will hit the water with competitors from over 100 countries. He aims to rank in the top 30 per cent: a position that will help propel him to his goal of making the Canadian cut for the 2020 Summer Olympics in Tokyo. By the looks of things so far, that could be an achievable goal for Gallant. He has spent the last year out of post-secondary entirely committed to training on the water.
According to coach McBride, Gallant started showing competitive promise about five years ago. B次元官网网址淗eB次元官网网址檚 won a couple youth championships [since then]. He was also starting to get results at that point nationally and in North America.B次元官网网址�
McBride views GallantB次元官网网址檚 goal of achieving the top 30 per cent in this yearB次元官网网址檚 World Championships as a reasonable one. Making into the top 30 per cent means making it into the Gold fleet, a ranking that has eluded Gallant in past years.
As for the 2020 Olympics, McBride said that goal is reasonable, too.
B次元官网网址淗e totally has a shot at that. He also has the longevity and the youth to be looking at 2024 as well,B次元官网网址� he said. B次元官网网址淩anking internationally, heB次元官网网址檚 55th in the world right now. That puts him well within that range.B次元官网网址�
GallantB次元官网网址檚 past year of training has also ensured that heB次元官网网址檚 improved in many areas, the most prominent one being fitness, said McBride. He now compares to the top Laser sailors in terms of his stamina on the water and ability to manipulate the boat at a physically taxing level for extended periods of time.
B次元官网网址淓verything else is [also] progressing,B次元官网网址� said McBride. B次元官网网址淚 think itB次元官网网址檚 going to be a great time. Max is always excited to represent Canada, Victoria and the Island.B次元官网网址�
Before heading to Croatia, Gallant thanks SAIL Canada and his sponsors for enabling him to pursue competitive Laser and, ultimately, his Olympic dream.
