Canada's sailing roster makes Nikola Girke a 4-time Olympian
Girke has switched to a mixed crew catamaran from windsurfing
Nikola Girke, a veteran of three Olympics, heads up Canada's nine-athlete sailing team for the Rio Games.
Girke was 13th in the 470 class at the 2004 Olympics before switching to RSX windsurfing for the Beijing Games in 2008, when she finished 17th. Four years later in London, she was 10th in her windsurfing event.
In Brazil, the 38-year-old from West Vancouver will be teaming up with 28-year-old Luke Ramsay of Vancouver in the Nacra 17, a mixed crew catamaran. Four years ago, Ramsay placed 25th with partner Mike Leigh in the London 470 event
Canadians are competing in five other Olympic sailing events: men's Laser, Finn and 470 and women's 49er FX and Laser Radial.
The sailing competition, based out of the Marina da Gloria, runs Aug. 8 to 19 on courses in Guanabara Bay.
Toronto's Tom Ramshaw will represent Canada in the men's Finn. The 24-year-old will be making his Olympic debut after transitioning from the Laser class.
Brothers Jacob and Graeme Saunders from Chester, N.S., will race in the 470 class while Lee Parkhill of Oakville, Ont., competes in the men's Laser.
Erin Rafuse of Halifax and Danielle Boyd of Kingston, Ont., will represent Canada in the 49er FX, a class making its Olympic debut.
Toronto's Brenda Bowskill will race in the Laser Radial.