Scott Shawyer
CANADIAN OCEAN RACING - N°80

Year of birth : 1971

Presentation

Scott Shawyer is the Skipper and President of Canada Ocean Racing, a world-class offshore sailing venture that aims to inspire the next generation while creating a strong foundation for the continued development of the sport across Canada. Canada Ocean Racing’s goal is to provide engaging developmental experiences to aspiring sailors of all ages and build inclusivity within the sport through the work of the brand’s charitable and corporate partners. Scott will train and compete in the IMOCA Globe Series, a professional offshore racing circuit alongside mentor and British offshore sailor Alex Thomson, all in preparation for the main event; the Vendée Globe.

The pinnacle event in the offshore sailing calendar, the Vendée Globe is a 42,000km solo, non-stop, unassisted round the world race, and never been completed by a Canadian, a feat Scott hopes to accomplish in the 2028 edition.

A successful businessman, Scott was President and CEO for 26 years of JMP Solutions, an industrial technology company that provides engineering services and turnkey solutions. He is credited for the significant growth of the company with over 300 employees in 15 business units located in Canada and the United States. At the onset of COVID-19, Scott helped initiate Ventilators for Canadians (V4C), a consortium of Canadian manufacturers and solutions providers to help in the fight against COVID-19 by contributing its manufacturing and project management expertise towards the production of ventilators for use in Canada.

A lifelong sailor, adventurer and athlete, Scott’s passion for sailing began when he was eight years old sailing in Georgian Bay. Scott started sailing dinghies from his family cottage and developed into sailing catamarans, followed by keel boat racing on boats including an Antrim 27 sports boat which he enjoyed competing on. Solo and shorthanded sailing have become Scott’s passion and while he fully acknowledges his ‘amateur’ sailing status, Scott is focused on completing a thorough training program, with the support of renowned offshore sailor Alex Thomson, bringing fans along for the journey as he enters the world of professional offshore sailing.

The combination of Scott’s drive, energy, business acumen, zest for adventure, analytical mindset and stamina are all fundamental character elements that have led him to take on what will be his toughest challenge yet and become a Vendée Globe skipper.

Scott holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in Psychology and a Bachelor of Science in Engineering from Western University. This year Scott proudly received the Engineering L.S. Lauchland Engineering Alumni Medal, a prestigious award presented by Western University to a worthy alumni each year based on their contributions to the engineering profession, business leadership and contributions to the community. For over 18 years, he has been a member of the Young Presidents Organization (YPO) - a global leadership community of more than 30,000 members in 142 countries who are driven by the belief that the world needs better leaders. Scott has filled a number of voluntary leadership roles for YPO, including the role of Canadian Chair. In 2020 during the pandemic, Scott co-authored the “Go Outside Activity Challenge Book”, which encourages children to engage in the exploration of the outdoors with activity challenges, merit badges and stickers. An active member of the community, Scott regularly volunteers with various community organizations and his philanthropic involvement include funding programs for local schools, contributions to select Canadian universities, and backing various STEM related initiatives. Scott also took part in a trekking expedition to the North Pole, raising over five hundred thousand dollars in support of various children’s charities.