OTTAWA, ON / REGINA, SK (February 28, 2024) – Canoe Kayak Canada (CKC) is pleased to announce Wascana Racing Canoe Club has been awarded the 2025 Canoe Kayak Canada Sprint National Championships and Canadian Masters Championships taking place on Wascana Lake, Regina, August 26 to August 31. 

 
“This marquee event brings the community together each summer for all of our Canadian sprint athletes,” said, Kenna Robins, CKC’s Director of National Program Development. “It is a showcase of the best of our sport; the emotion, the club pride and the amazing performances on the water. We’re looking forward to bringing that excitement to Wascana Lake and Regina in 2025.” 

 
Paddlers from over 40 canoe clubs across the country will be setting their sights on Wascana Lake in 2025. The Championships – most recently hosted in Dartmouth, NS and set to be hosted in Welland, ON at the end of the summer of 2024, draws over a thousand athletes of all ages. It is anticipated that participants will include National, Olympic, Paralympic team athletes and upcoming paddlers competing in age group categories. The Championships were last hosted in Regina in 2019 at the world class venue on Wascana Lake which also hosted the 2005 Canada Games Canoe Kayak Competition, Canada Cup West 2022 and 2023. 

“We are delighted to host this pre-eminent event in Regina”, said Dave Robertson, co-chair of the 2025 CKC Sprint National Championships Host Organizing Committee.  “It will showcase our sport and audiences will be treated to best in Canada performances by athletes from across the country.  The event will bring immense excitement to Regina, and hosting the event will bring the community together and demonstrate, once again, Regina’s hospitality and community spirit.”  

“The City of Regina is thrilled to have been selected to host the 2025 Canadian Sprint Canoe Kayak Championships and Canadian Masters Championships,” said Mayor Sandra Masters, City of Regina. “Our city, having successfully hosted the event in 2019, is excited to welcome over 1,000 athletes from across Canada to compete for the title of National Champions on our beautiful Wascana Lake. We celebrate the importance of sport in our community and will ensure that every athlete, coach, and fan visiting our city for these championships has an exceptional experience.”

Athletes will compete for club pride, national champion titles and historic trophies in sprint canoe and kayak events across several distances. Included in the program will be Paracanoe events with athletes with physical disabilities competing in kayak and outrigger canoe competition, as well as the Paddle All races between competitors with intellectual disabilities. Burgees are presented to the overall top-ranking clubs in a tradition that began at the first Championship in 1900. 

About Canoe Kayak Canada 

Canoe Kayak Canada is the national governing body for competitive paddling in Canada, one of Canada’s top performing summer sports with a total of 26 Olympic medals, and a leader in the Paralympic movement. Canoe Kayak Canada is a member-based organization that includes an intricate network of clubs as well as provincial, territorial and divisional paddling associations. Elite National Team athletes proudly represent Canada at various competitions around the globe – most notably the Olympic Games, Paralympic Games, Pan American Games, ICF World Cups as well as Junior, Under 23 and Senior World Championships. Follow Canoe Kayak Canada on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram and YouTube. 

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For more information : 

Emmalee Nother
Communications Coordinator
enother@canoekayak.ca  

Dave Robertson
Nationals Event Co-Chair, Wascana Racing Canoe Club
daverobertson80@hotmail.com

Following collaborative discussions with Maskwa Aquatic Club and Rideau Canoe Club, Canoe Kayak Canada has determined the Maskwa Aquatic Club and the Rideau Canoe Club are declared co-winners of the 2023 Canoe Kayak Canada Sprint National Championships held in Dartmouth, Nova Scotia between August 29, 2023 to September 2, 2023.

Each club will be awarded an overall Burgee for the 2023 Championships, as a result of an ambiguity in points allocation and tabulation the result of which could have resulted in either club being named the winner.

This announcement is made by Canoe Kayak Canada as part of its commitment to inclusiveness and broader participation in all National Championship events.

Canoe Kayak Canada affirms its commitment to review and strengthen the Sprint Racing Discipline Competition Rules to ensure the full participation of all athletes, and further commits to ensure competition rules are clear and reflective of these objectives.

MINDEN, ONTARIO (JULY 6, 2023) – Canada’s best whitewater paddlers will be gathering at the Minden Whitewater Preserve on the Gull River from August 21st to 27th to compete for National titles in Canoe and Kayak Slalom, Freestyle, Downriver, and Kayak Cross. International athletes will be present to compete for International Canoe Federation ranking points at the Minden Open Race which will run concurrently.  

More than a hundred athletes will be competing in multiple disciplines over the course of the week, keeping competition fierce as the provinces battle for points towards the Brian Greer Cup, the Provincial Team title. With International Canoe Federation ranking points also up for grabs, athletes from other nations are expected to attend, further deepening the field and adding to the excitement.

All are invited to this free event, which includes the thrilling new whitewater discipline of kayak cross. Pitting four athletes head-to-head, kayak cross is a must see as it is set to make its Olympic Games debut next year in Paris.

“We are excited to welcome athletes from across the country and around the world to Minden,” said Eric Betteridge, Organizing Committee Co-Chair. “This world class venue has been the site of many National Championships as well as the 2015 Pan Am Games and three World Cup events. This will be a great opportunity for our younger athletes to gain valuable experience competing against national and international athletes, as it is an international ranking race.”

“I am beyond excited to see that Nationals are being held in Minden after a four-year hiatus. It is such a great venue with a challenging whitewater course. I have many  memories from Minden either from attending team selection or Nationals and it is always a lot of fun competing there. Good luck to everyone!” – Florence Maheu, National Whitewater Slalom Team, Olympian.

Location: Minden Whitewater Preserve, 1020 Bethel Rd, Minden, ON

Schedule:

Aug 23: AM – Kayak Cross Time Trial; PM – Kayak Cross Elimination 

Aug 24: AM – Freestyle; PM – Development Race 

Aug 25: AM- Down River Classic;  PM – Down River Sprint

Aug 26: Slalom Age Group Races  (Heats 1 and 2)

Aug 27: Slalom Open Races (Semi-finals and Finals)

For updates and more information follow  Whitewater Ontario on  Instagram and Facebook or visit the event 2023 Whitewater Nationals website.

About Whitewater Ontario

Whitewater Ontario is a volunteer-driven organization uniting, supporting, and sustaining the inclusive development of the whitewater paddling community and resources within the province. The Minden Whitewater Preserve, where the 2023 Nationals are being held, is one of the many focal points for recreational and competitive paddling in the province. Ontario is well represented on national teams by Slalom, Freestyle and Downriver athletes. Most recently Ontario Slalom athletes brought home two silver medals from the 2023 Pan Am Championships  and are representing Canada on the World Cup Circuit. Canadian Freestyle athletes are some of the best in the world – recently, Freestyle athletes brought home 5 silver medals from the 2022 World Championships and World Cups. Ontario Slalom, Freestyle and Downriver athletes comprise a large proportion of the National teams representing Canada at Senior, Junior and U23 World Championships.  

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For more information :

Eric Betteridge 

Co-Chair 2023 Whitewater Nationals Organizing Committee

613-806-2532

Eric.Whitewater@gmail.com

MINDEN HILLS, ONTARIO (August 20, 2019) – The 2019 Whitewater National Championships are now complete, after an exciting weekend of extreme slalom, downriver, freestyle and slalom events. 66 athletes from across the country gathered in Minden Hills, Ontario at the Minden Whitewater Preserve on the Gull River from August 14^th to 18^th.

Team Ontario claimed the overall Brian Creer trophy for earning the most points throughout the five days of whitewater competition featuring Freestyle, Slalom.

This renowned natural course was an excellent spot for the event with whitewater rapids ranging from Class II to Class IV. The preserve also had campsites where many participants stayed right next to the river.

The medallists for the Open events are listed below and complete results are posted on Canoe Kayak Canada’s website.

Canoe Kayak Slalom

Women’s K1

Women’s C1

Men’s K1

Men’s C1

Mixed C2

Men’s C2

Downriver Classic

Men’s Open C1

Men’s Open K1

Downriver Sprint

Men’s C1

Men’s K1

Freestyle

Men’s K1

Women’s K1

C1 Open

Extreme Slalom

Open Men

Subscribe to Canoe Kayak Canada’s mailing list to get all news and results directly to your email.

About Canoe Kayak Canada

Canoe Kayak Canada (CKC) is the national governing body for competitive paddling in Canada, one of Canada’s top performing summer sports with a total of 24 Olympic medals, and a leader in the Paralympic movement. Canoe Kayak Canada is a member-based organization that includes an intricate network of clubs as well as provincial, territorial and divisional paddling associations. Elite National Team athletes proudly represent Canada at various competitions around the globe – most notably the Olympic Games, Paralympic Games, Pan American Games, ICF World Cups as well as Junior, Under 23 and Senior World Championships. Follow Canoe Kayak Canada on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram and YouTube.

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For more information:

Laurel MacAdam

Communications Assistant

lmacadam@canoekayak.ca

Colleen Coderre

Communications Lead

ccoderre@canoekayak.ca

MINDEN HILLS, ONTARIO (August 13, 2019) – Canada’s best Whitewater paddlers are set to take their first strokes in Minden Hills, Ontario on Wednesday morning for the 2019 Canoe Kayak Whitewater National Championships. The competition will run from August 14^th to August 18^th and will feature four disciplines: downriver, extreme slalom, freestyle and slalom.

66 athletes from across the country will be competing for top honours at the Minden Whitewater Preserve on the Gull River. This renowned natural course was officially opened in 1980, thanks to the hard work of Roger Parsons and other passionate volunteers from the Ontario Wild Water Affiliation (predecessor of Whitewater Ontario). The river has an 800-meter-long Whitewater section which ranges from Class II to Class IV. It was host to the 2015 TORONTO Pan Am Games, several National Championships and Team Trials, as well as World Cups. To read more about the preserve, click here.

There will be a Whitewater Alumni reunion/celebration of the 40^th anniversary of the Jonquière World Championships happening on Saturday August 17^th, at 6pm on the Minden Wildwater Preserve.

“I am very excited to be back in Minden Hills to contest the national championships and finalize our selection for the world championships,” said James Cartwright, Senior High Performance Manager and Coach Development at Canoe Kayak Canada. “The Whitewater Ontario preserve is a world class river and I am expecting exciting competitions this week.”

What:

2019 Canoe Kayak Canada Whitewater National Championships

When:

August 14: Downriver Classic and Sprint Race (10:00am to 1:00pm EST)

August 15: Extreme Slalom Race (12:00pm to 3:00pm EST)

August 16: Freestyle Competition (10:00am to 3:00pm EST)

August 17: Slalom (10:00am to 3:00pm EST)

August 18: Slalom (10:00am to 3:00pm EST)

Where:

Minden Wildwater Preserve, Gull River

Minden Hills, Ontario – MAP

How to follow:

Click here for a complete schedule of events.

Results will be posted following the day’s events on the CKC website here.

Follow Whitewater Ontario and Canoe Kayak Canada on Facebook and Instagram for more details.

Subscribe to Canoe Kayak Canada’s mailing list to get all news and results directly to your email.

About Canoe Kayak Canada

Canoe Kayak Canada (CKC) is the national governing body for competitive paddling in Canada, one of Canada’s top performing summer sports with a total of 24 Olympic medals, and a leader in the Paralympic movement. Canoe Kayak Canada is a member-based organization that includes an intricate network of clubs as well as provincial, territorial and divisional paddling associations. Elite National Team athletes proudly represent Canada at various competitions around the globe – most notably the Olympic Games, Paralympic Games, Pan American Games, ICF World Cups as well as Junior, Under 23 and Senior World Championships. Follow Canoe Kayak Canada on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram and YouTube.

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For more information:

Laurel MacAdam

Communications Assistant

lmacadam@canoekayak.ca

Colleen Coderre

Communications Lead

ccoderre@canoekayak.ca

OTTAWA, ONTARIO (July 18) – Canoe Kayak Canada (CKC) and the CKC Alumni Council (CKCAC) are proud to launch the inaugural Boat Drive campaign to assist clubs across Canada with boat transportation costs for the 2019 Sprint Nationals in Wascana Lake. 100% of the funds raised will be distributed to eligible clubs. The 4-week campaign is a pilot project and first fund development campaign for the CKC Alumni Council with future plans to launch similar campaigns in other disciplines.

“We understand the high costs associated with long distance travel required for some clubs to compete at the national level,” said CKCAC Fund Development lead, Mike Scarola. “Our goal is to raise as much money as possible for the clubs needing our support and utilize this pilot fundraising campaign to build upon other fundraising initiatives among the different disciplines.”

All member clubs who have athletes attending the 2019 Sprint National Championships and are located over 1,000 kilometers from Wascana Lake will be eligible for funding. Funding will be distributed once the campaign is closed (follow the link below for more details).

“As chair of the CKCAC, I am so proud that we are able to take our first steps towards assisting clubs, athletes and coaches in achieving their goals at a national level,” noted LA Dempster. “Removing financial barriers creates opportunities for tomorrow’s champions.”

Together with our community of CKC supporters – we can remove financial barriers and ensure our clubs and athletes don’t miss the opportunity to compete at the national level!

Please click the following link and Donate Today! to make a tax-deductible contribution to the campaign.

ABOUT THE CKC ALUMNI COUNCIL

The CKC Alumni Council (CKCAC) is an external volunteer group in support of the larger community of paddling alumni’s role within Canoe Kayak Canada.  The CKCAC provides counsel to the CEO and offers advice on engaging and strengthening alumni relationships and program development pertaining to the CKC Alumni program. The CKCAC seeks to increase awareness of the many services available to alumni through CKC, to encourage a larger and more diverse participation in the programs offered through CKC, and to initiate new ways to communicate and engage with CKC’s growing alumni population.

The CKCAC is composed of paddlers from a cross section of business, professional, public and community sectors across Canada and internationally.  The mission of the CKCAC is to engage as many alumni as possible in the ongoing life of CKC in mutually beneficial ways and to support alumni initiatives that promote the goals of CKC.

About Canoe Kayak Canada

Canoe Kayak Canada (CKC) is the national governing body for competitive paddling in Canada, one of Canada’s top performing summer sports with a total of 24 Olympic medals, and a leader in the Paralympic movement. Canoe Kayak Canada is a member-based organization that includes an intricate network of clubs as well as provincial, territorial and divisional paddling associations. Elite National Team athletes proudly represent Canada at various competitions around the globe – most notably the Olympic Games, Paralympic Games, Pan American Games, ICF World Cups as well as Junior, Under 23 and Senior World Championships. Follow Canoe Kayak Canada on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram and YouTube.

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For more information:

Laurel MacAdam

Communications Assistant

lmacadam@canoekayak.ca

Colleen Coderre

Communications Lead

ccoderre@canoekayak.ca

SHERBROOKE, QUÉBEC (September 4, 2018) –The Canadian Canoe Kayak Championships ended on August 2 on Lac des Nations and the Rideau Canoe Club of Ottawa won the Canadian Champion overall title, winning a total of 892 points. The Trois-Rivières Canoe Club (Québec) took second place with a total of 763 points, followed by Balmy Beach (Ontario) with a total of 501 points.

“It’s always exciting to watch our Canadian clubs come together for almost a week of intense competition petition for the honour of being to be named the best in the country,” said Ian Mortimer, Director of Development at Canoe Kayak Canada and former member of the Rideau Club. “The level of competition was very high last week on Lac des Nations and the Sherbrooke organizing committee did an amazing job making these championships a great experience for everyone.”

View this post on Instagram

SPRINT – @rideaucanoeclub is the big winner of the 2018 @ckcsprintnationals in Sherbrooke, QC ???????????????? — Le @rideaucanoeclub est le GRAND champion des @ckcsprintnationals 2018 ???????????????? . . . #sprintnationals2018 #sherbrooke18 #nouspagayons #wepaddle #ckc #canadianchampion #bestclub #canada

A post shared by Canoe Kayak Canada (@canoekayakcan) on Sep 2, 2018 at 4:15am PDT

In addition to winning the championship title, the Rideau Canoe Club took the lead in the Senior Men’s C-15 1000m event. Led by captain Reid Farquharson, they won gold, followed by the Burloak Canoe Club who had won the event 13 times in a row since the 2005 Championships in Montreal.

In a very close final, the Rideau Canoe Club crossed the finish line with a time of 3:51.6 seconds, with only two tenths of a second ahead of Burloak who finished second, followed by Trois-Rivières who finished in 3:54.1 seconds.

Among the 47 canadian canoe clubs competing at the 2018 Canadian Championships, the Flatwater North Canoe Club of Yukon, the Pemberton and Nelson Canoe Club of British Columbia and the Petrie Island Canoe Club in Ontario took part in this annual national competition for the first time.

Over the five consecutive days of competition, a total of 134 medals were presented to the 2018 National Champions.

Sunday, Master’s athletes between the age of 25 and 87 years old concluded this regatta on Lac des Nations in a festive atmosphere. The eldest was Louis (Lou) Lukanovich, member of the Viking Club in Québec, former national team coach and Olympic athlete in the games of Rome, Munich and Montreal.

Athletes, coaches, parents and visitors have an experience they consider excellent. The volunteers did a phenomenal job and despite the challenging delay during the competition due to the wind, storm and fog, no races were canceled or moved to the next day.

Nicolas Lemay, president of the organizing committee, salutes the work of the organizing committee. “The canoe club has had incredible support from people who didn’t know anything about the sport but were passionate about hosting the event in Sherbrooke. Our committee had a mixed of different visions and it resulted in an amazing event, we are proud of what we did.”

Visit the Canadian Sprint Canoe Kayak Championships website  to get more information, all results and to watch all the action again on YouTube.

Subscribe to Canoe Kayak Canada’s mailing list to get all news and results directly to your email.

About Canoe Kayak Canada

Canoe Kayak Canada (CKC) is the national governing body for competitive paddling in Canada, one of Canada’s top performing summer sports with a total of 24 Olympic medals, and a leader in the Paralympic movement. Canoe Kayak Canada is a member-based organization that includes an intricate network of clubs as well as provincial, territorial and divisional paddling associations. Elite National Team athletes proudly represent Canada at various competitions around the globe – most notably the Olympic Games, Paralympic Games, Pan American Games, ICF World Cups as well as Junior, Under 23 and Senior World Championships. Follow Canoe Kayak Canada on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram and YouTube.

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For more information :

Joannie Verret

Communications Coordinator

jverret@canoekayak.ca

(418) 271-3785

SHERBROOKE, QUÉBEC (August 21, 2018) – Over 1000 athletes from close to 50 different canoe clubs across Canada are battling for top honours and national titles at the 2018 Canadian Sprint Canoe Kayak Championships this week on Lac des Nations in Sherbrooke, Québec. The event started Tuesday, August 28 and will continue through until Sunday, September 2 with the CanMas Championships. 

“We are delighted to be back in Sherbrooke again in 2018 for our biggest national event of the season”, said Canoe Kayak Canada’s Director of Development, Ian Mortimer. “The Canadian Championships is the most important event for the majority of our sprint paddling community and we are more than satisfied with the host organizing committee of Sherbrooke so far, the venue is amazing, and the athletes are enjoying the event, it is going very well”.

Individual events were held on the first and second day of the five days long event. Athletes from all categories competed over the distances of 200, 500, 1000 meters and even on the long-distance event of the 6000 meters in the U17 category. It was a difficult day for the athletes, where the strong wind and the intense heat made it challenging for all.

The Canadian Sprint Canoe Kayak Championships were delayed twice on the second day du to storms, with the first storm happening exactly between the qualifiers and the finals. The winds disrupted the site, but everything was quickly put back in order and all races were completed as the sun was going down.

On the third day, the crew boats events began, and a bigger crowed showed up at Lac des Nations. The C15 crew boats stole the show on this cool day.

Also known as the “war canoe”, the C15 races put the crews to the test following numerous crashes and protests, which forced the re-race of the U17 and U19 Junior Mixed C15 500 meters finals.

“Once you find yourself in the wave of another boat, the canoe becomes very difficult to control, it makes it much more difficult for the team captain to steer” says Nicolas Lemay, President of the Organizing Committee of the event.

Some boats were disqualified during a few successive rounds in these categories, forcing a new start. The spectators were full of sight and the athletes, certainly exhausted. In the end, Burloak (Mixed Senior), Lac-Beauport (Mixed Junior), Rideau (Mixed U17) and Lachine (Mixed U19) won the titles of the 200 meters.

On Friday, competitions featured Paracanoe athletes as well as Special Olympics and Paddle ALL programs athletes. The crew boat events also continued, giving way to other impressive warships and crew races of two and four athletes.

The day ended with a CKC Alumni cocktail while watching the final race of the day, the famous “Black Trophy” final. The crew of the Mississauga Canoe Club of Sean Barich, Evan Bezemer, Philipe Turcanu and Jack Tutty won gold, ahead of the Wascana Canoe Club and the Rideau Canoe Club.

The competitions will continue on Saturday with other crew races, where all clubs will be battling to collect as many points as possible to be named the best club in Canada. The day will end with the official announcement of the winning clubs and the presentation of National Champion burgees and trophies.

Visit the Canadian Sprint Canoe Kayak Championships website to get more information and watch it live on YouTube. Make sure to follow @CanoeKayakCAN  to get all live updates and visit the ImmediaC web app to get all results.

Subscribe to Canoe Kayak Canada’s mailing listto get all news and results directly to your email.

About Canoe Kayak Canada

Canoe Kayak Canada (CKC) is the national governing body for competitive paddling in Canada, one of Canada’s top performing summer sports with a total of 24 Olympic medals, and a leader in the Paralympic movement. Canoe Kayak Canada is a member-based organization that includes an intricate network of clubs as well as provincial, territorial and divisional paddling associations. Elite National Team athletes proudly represent Canada at various competitions around the globe – most notably the Olympic Games, Paralympic Games, Pan American Games, ICF World Cups as well as Junior, Under 23 and Senior World Championships. Follow Canoe Kayak Canada on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram and YouTube.

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For more information :

Joannie Verret

Communications Coordinator

jverret@canoekayak.ca

(418) 271-3785

KANANASKIS, ALBERTA (August 8, 2018) – Canada’s top Whitewater paddlers completed last weekend the 2018 Canadian Whitewater Canoe Kayak Championships in Kananaskis, Alberta. More than 100athletes from across the country, withathletes competing inCanoe Slalom, Freestyle and Wildwater Classic and Sprintevents,for national titles.

The Alberta Slalom Canoe Kayak Association, Alberta Freestyle Kayak Association and the Alberta Whitewater Association were delighted to host this multidiscipline Canadian Championship.

The event also servedas the team trials for the Canoe Freestyle 2019 Worlds Championships team that will compete at the World Championships in Spainnext summer. Slalom athletes also had the opportunity to race for international ranking points as the Championships was part of the International Canoe Federations (ICF) Ranking Series.

The Canoe Meadows facility and the Kananaskis River provided an ideal venue for such an event where participants were able to camp next to the river, paddle two full size international slalom courses and follow each run on a pedestrian friendly venue that gave family, visitors and competitors a great opportunity to watch the action close along the river.

Team Ontario win’s the Brian Creer Cup Title

“Home course advantage is a huge deal for whitewater competitions,” said James Cartwright, Canoe Kayak Canada’s High Performance Manager. “It’s a big deal for Team Ontario to defend the Brian Creer title at the National Championships in Alberta.

Senior National Champions

Canoe Kayak Slalom

Kayak Freestyle

Canoe Kayak Downriver Classic

Canoe Kayak Downriver Sprint

Gabriel Rivett-Carnac, an Ottawa based sports photographer, made the trip down to the Kananaski River in order to capture great moments from the event.

You can find more of his work on his official Facebook pageand by following @GabesImages on Instagram.

Crossroad Media Productionswere also on site producing a great video edit of the full event. Visit their Facebook page to watch it online.

Canoe Kayak Canada is still compiling final results and will be posting all final documents on the results page of the CKC Website soon.

Visit Canoe Kayak Canada’s websiteto get more information and make sure to @CanoeKayakCANfor more live updates.

Subscribe to Canoe Kayak Canada’s mailing listto get all news and results directly to your email.

About Canoe Kayak Canada

Canoe Kayak Canada (CKC) is the national governing body for competitive paddling in Canada, one of Canada’s top performing summer sports with a total of 24 Olympic medals, and a leader in the Paralympic movement. Canoe Kayak Canada is a member-based organization that includes an intricate network of clubs as well as provincial, territorial and divisional paddling associations. Elite National Team athletes proudly represent Canada at various competitions around the globe – most notably the Olympic Games, Paralympic Games, Pan American Games, ICF World Cups as well as Junior, Under 23 and Senior World Championships. Follow Canoe Kayak Canada on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram and YouTube.

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For more information :

Joannie Verret

Communications Coordinator

jverret@canoekayak.ca

(418) 271-3785

GAINESVILLE, GEORGIA, USA (April 22, 2018) – Canadian Canoe Kayak Sprint athletes completed the first Sprint Team Trials of a new season of racing this weekend at the Lake Lanier Olympic Park in Gainesville, GA. On the last day, kayakers and canoers showed impressive results in the K-1 200 and C-1 500 meters-races.

The men’s kayak offered an impressive last race today fighting for gold in the K-1 200 meter event. The top 6 competitors finished the race within one second. Olympian Mark De Jonge (Maskwa, N.-S.) stole the show by having the fastest time of the day and finishing first with a time of 34.307 seconds. Close behind De Jonge was Alexander Scott in a time of 34.907 (Maskwa, N.-S.), followed by Ryan Cochrane (Lac-Beauport, QC) who came third with an extremely close time of 34.914 seconds.

“I feel relieved and happy,” said De Jonge right after finishing his race. “I took a year off last year and just came back to the sport full-time, so I am really happy to see that I still have my speed and that there is a lot of stiff competition within Canada.”

“I’m very proud of my athletes this early in the season,” said Frédéric Jobin, national coach of the men’s kayak team. “The depth of the group is impressive, in the 200 meters we have 6 guys finishing within one second, and the 500 and 1000 meter-races are almost as close. It’s very promising for our crew boat programs like the K-2 and K-4.”

The women’s kayak also demonstrated great performances this afternoon in the 200 meter-race. Michelle Russel (Cheema, N.-S.) finished first with a fast time of 39.878, followed closely by Lissa Bissonette (Pointe-Claire, QC ; 40.374) and Andréanne Langlois (Trois-Rivières, QC ; 40.594).

The canoe athletes were competing in the C-1 500 meter event as their last race of these trials. Craig Spence (Cheema, N.-S.) placed first with a time of 1:48.385 in the men’s C-1 and Vincent-Lapointe lead the women’s race with a time of 2:03.515.

Monday, Canoe Kayak Canada will be announcing the selected teams that will be representing Canada at the 2018 ICF World Cups, as well as the selected athlete who have already secured a sport on the 2018 World Championships team.

You can watch all finals on the Canoe Kayak Canada YouTube channel and find today’s results on the Canoe Kayak Canada website, as well as the starts lists for Sunday’s races.

About Canoe Kayak Canada

Canoe Kayak Canada is the national governing body for competitive paddling in Canada, one of Canada’s top performing summer sports with a total of 24 Olympic medals, and a leader in the Paralympic movement. Canoe Kayak Canada is a member-based organization that includes an intricate network of clubs as well as provincial, territorial and divisional paddling associations. Elite National Team athletes proudly represent Canada at various competitions around the globe – most notably the Olympic Games, Paralympic Games, Pan American Games, ICF World Cups as well as Junior, Under 23 and Senior World Championships. Follow Canoe Kayak Canada on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram and YouTube.

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For more information :

Joannie Verret

Communications Coordinator

jverret@canoekayak.ca

(418) 271-3785

GAINESVILLE, GEORGIA, USA (April 21, 2018) – Laurence Vincent-Lapointe (Trois-Rivières, QC) and Katie Vincent (Mississauga, ON) stole the show on day 2 of the Canadian sprint canoe kayak team trials as they broke their 2017 world record in the Women’s C-2 500 meters event this morning at the Lake Lanier Olympic Park in Gainesville, GA.

“It’s a second world record broken this week-end by our women’s canoe team and we could not be happier with such great results so early in the season,” said Anders Gustafsson, new head coach of Canoe Kayak Canada’s sprint team. “Our teams’ overall results so far show that we have been preparing the team well and they have what it takes to compete on the world stage.”

After breaking the record in the C-1 race yesterday, Laurence Vincent Lapointe and her partner Katie Vincent beat their last world record by 4 seconds with a time of 1:52.745 this morning.

The Men’s Canoe also showed great performances on Saturday. Craig Spence (Cheema, N.-S.) finished first with an impressive time of 3:49.899 in the Men’s C-1 1000 meter event. Roland Varga (Richmond Hill, ON) came second in a time of 3:54.793 followed closely by Drew Hodges (Rideau, ON) who finished in a time of 3:55.125.

“I felt pretty comfortable going into this race, every stroke felt better and better throughout the race and the conditions were ideal today,” explained Craig Spence, as he watched his teammates prepare for the Men’s C-2 1000 meter event. “I feel really optimistic for the upcoming season, our group is one great team and working with our new coach, Andreas, has been really productive.”

In the Men’s C-2 1000 meter, Varga and Connor Fitzpatrick (Senobe, N.-S.) took first place in a time of 3:36.912. Hodges and Mark James (Senobe, N.-S.) placed second, followed by Thomas Hall (Cheema, N.-S.) and Bret Himmelman (Maskwa, N.-S.) with a time of 3:38.902 and 3:39.878, respectively.

The Women’s Kayak also performed well in the K-1 500 meter event. Michelle Russell (Cheema, N.-S.) placed first with a time of 1:49.947, followed by Andreanne Langlois of Trois-Rivières in Québec (1:51.533), and Madeline Schmidt of Ottawa in Ontario (1:53.011).

The Men’s Kayak finished today’s races with the K-1 1000 meter event. Pierre-Luc Poulin (Lac-Beauort, QC) finished first in a time of 3:30.466, in front of Jarret Kenke (Saskatoon, SK – 3:31.69) and Marshall Hughues (Cheema, N.-S. – 3:31.866).

Atlanta 1996 Gold Medalist Coaching the Canadian Team

The last time Andreas Dittmer, German Olympian and 3 times Olympic gold medalist, was at Lake Lanier in Gainesville, GA, was during the 1996 Olympic Games of Atlanta. Dittmer raced in the C-2 1000 m event with German partner Gunar Kirchbach. They won gold in front of the Romanians and Hungarians in a time of 3:31.870. Andreas joined the Canoe Kayak Canada coaching team this winter and the National Team Trials are his first event with the team.

“Coming back here after all these years definitely brought back a lot of good memories,” said Dittmer, new head coach of the Canadian Men’s Canoe Sprint team. “I couldn’t be happier to be here, coaching the Canadian men’s canoe team, at the exact same location than where my Olympic career began,” he added.

Canadian athletes will be closing these Team Trials on Sunday, selecting the World Cups team representing Canada in Europe at the end of May. Kayak athletes will be racing in the 200 meter finals while Canoe athletes will be racing in the 500 meter finals.

You can watch all finals on the Canoe Kayak Canada YouTube channel and find today’s results on the Canoe Kayak Canada website, as well as the starts lists for Sunday’s races.

About Canoe Kayak Canada

Canoe Kayak Canada is the national governing body for competitive paddling in Canada, one of Canada’s top performing summer sports with a total of 24 Olympic medals, and a leader in the Paralympic movement. Canoe Kayak Canada is a member-based organization that includes an intricate network of clubs as well as provincial, territorial and divisional paddling associations. Elite National Team athletes proudly represent Canada at various competitions around the globe – most notably the Olympic Games, Paralympic Games, Pan American Games, ICF World Cups as well as Junior, Under 23 and Senior World Championships. Follow Canoe Kayak Canada on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram and YouTube.

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For more information :

Joannie Verret

Communications Coordinator

jverret@canoekayak.ca

(418) 271-3785

GAINESVILLE, GEORGIA, USA (April 20, 2018) – Canadian canoe Sprint athlete Laurence Vincent Lapointe broke another world record this afternoon on day 1 of the Canadian canoe kayak sprint team trials in Gainesville, GA.

Vincent-Lapointe (Trois-Rivières, QC) broke her personal best time by taking first place in the Women’s C-1 200 meter event in a fast time of 45.350 seconds. Not too far behind was Katie Vincent (Mississauga, ON) who took second place with a time of 46.586, followed by Hannah MacIntosh (Senobe, N.-S.) in a time of 49.034.

“I am very happy with my result and could not have done better for my first race of the year, breaking my world records this early in the season shows that the hard work is paying off,” said Laurence as she heard her official time. “I am pretty confident with my training and results and I know it is going to go very well for the whole season this year,” she added.

Tomorrow, Vincent and V.-Lapointe will be competing in the Women’s C-2 500 meter event together. Holding the current world record together in this event, tomorrow’s race is promising for the two athletes.

“I am definitely excited for the race tomorrow, we both got really good performances in C-1 and hopefully we can work together and be even faster on the world stage this year,” said Katie Vincent. 

A promising Day 1

Close to 90 Canadian canoe kayak sprint and paracanoe athletes are competing this weekend on Lake Lanier, trying to secure a spot on the 2018 World Cup’s Canadian team. Today’s races also included the finals for the Open Men’s Paracanoe 200 meter and the Senior Men’s K-1 500 meter.

Zacharie Lauziere-Fitzgeral (Sherbrooke, QC) finished first in the Paracanoe event with a time of 44.576, followed by Trinity Tratch (Calgary, AB) and Mathieu St-Pierre (Shawinigan, QC). In the Men’s K-1 event, Nicholas Matveev (Balmy Beach, ON) and Pierre-Luc Poulin (Lac-Beauport, QC) got a close finish with a time of 1:39.307 and 1:39. 761, respectively. Jarret Kenke (Saskatoon, SK) came third with a time of 1:41.157, followed closely by Vincent Jourdenais (Trois-Rivières, QC) who finished in a time of 1:41.331.

“We are very pleased with today’s results,” said Graham Barton, Chief Technical Officer at Canoe Kayak Canada. “It is still early in the season, but Laurence’s world record and the overall results of the day show that we are on track”.

Tomorrow’s races will continue at the Lake Lanier Olympic Park in Gainesville, GA. You can find today’s results on the Canoe Kayak Canada website, as well as the starts lists for Saturday and Sunday’s races.

About Canoe Kayak Canada

Canoe Kayak Canada is the national governing body for competitive paddling in Canada, one of Canada’s top performing summer sports with a total of 24 Olympic medals, and a leader in the Paralympic movement. Canoe Kayak Canada is a member-based organization that includes an intricate network of clubs as well as provincial, territorial and divisional paddling associations. Elite National Team athletes proudly represent Canada at various competitions around the globe – most notably the Olympic Games, Paralympic Games, Pan American Games, ICF World Cups as well as Junior, Under 23 and Senior World Championships. Follow Canoe Kayak Canada on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram and YouTube.

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For more information :

Joannie Verret

Communications Coordinator

jverret@canoekayak.ca

(418) 271-3785

GAINESVILLE, GEORGIA, USA (April 19, 2018) – Canoe Kayak Canada’s fastest sprint and paracanoe paddlers will be lining up for the first set of the National Team Trials this weekend on Lake Lanier in Gainesville, Georgia. This first selection of a series of three Sprint National Team Trials will take place at the 1996 Olympic venue from Friday, April 20^th to Sunday, April 22^nd.

“Most of our Sprint and Paracanoe athletes spent the last few months training in the warm waters of Florida in order to get ready for this first team selection,” said Graham Barton, Chief Technical Officer at Canoe Kayak Canada. “They had some great results in training and now it is time to test that preparation in their first races of the year.”

Canoe Kayak Canada will be selecting athletes to compete at the 2018 Canoe Sprint World Cups taking place in Europe at the end of May. These National Team Trials will also be used as part of the selection process for the Senior, U23 and Junior World Championships Teams and the Senior Pan American Championships Team.

What:
Canoe Kayak Canada National Sprint and Paracanoe Team Trials and selection of the 2018 World Cup Canadian Team.

Start Lists & Results

When:
Friday, April 20 (8:30 to 17:00 EST.)
Saturday, April 21 (8:30 to 16:50 EST.)
Sunday, April 22 (8:30 to 15:00 EST.)

Where:
Lake Lanier Olympic Park,
3105 Clarks Bridge Road,
Gainesville, GA | Map

Following this event, Canoe Kayak Canada will be hosting two other sets of National Sprint and Paracanoe Team Trials in May and June. These events will be used to select the Junior, U23 and Senior teams representing Canada at the various international events taking place this summer. You can find a list of the upcoming events on the Canoe Kayak Canada website.

About Canoe Kayak Canada

Canoe Kayak Canada is the national governing body for competitive paddling in Canada, one of Canada’s top performing summer sports with a total of 24 Olympic medals, and a leader in the Paralympic movement. Canoe Kayak Canada is a member-based organization that includes an intricate network of clubs as well as provincial, territorial and divisional paddling associations. Elite National Team athletes proudly represent Canada at various competitions around the globe – most notably the Olympic Games, Paralympic Games, Pan American Games, ICF World Cups as well as Junior, Under 23 and Senior World Championships. Follow Canoe Kayak Canada on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram and YouTube.

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For more information :

Joannie Verret

Communications Coordinator

jverret@canoekayak.ca

(418) 271-3785

OTTAWA, ON (April 3, 2018) – Canoe Kayak Canada is proud to announce Regina, Saskatchewan as host city of the 2019 Canadian Sprint Canoe Kayak Championships and Canadian Masters Championships taking place on Lake Wascana, August 27 to September 1.

“This marquee event brings the community together each summer for all of our Canadian sprint athletes,” said, Casey Wade CEO at Canoe Kayak Canada. “It is a showcase of the best of our sport; the emotion, the club pride and the amazing performances on the water.We’re looking forward to bringing that excitement to Lake Wascana and Regina again in 2019.”

Paddlers from over 40 canoe clubs across the country will be setting their sights on Lake Wascana in 2019. The Championships – most recently hosted in Welland, ON and set to be hosted in Sherbrooke, QC at the end of the summer of 2018 – regularly draws over a thousand athletes of all ages. Participants will include National and Olympic and Paralympic Team athletes and upcoming paddlers competing in age group categories. The Championships were last hosted in Regina in 2014 at the world class venue on Lake Wascana which also hosted the 2005 Canada Games Canoe Kayak Competition.

“We are delighted to be hosting these major championships again in the city of Regina,” said Aaron Patterson, Commodore of Wascana Racing Canoe Club and Interim Chair of the Host Organizing Committee. “Canoe Kayak Canada’s Sprint Championships is a great event for all sprint athletes and families and we are looking forward to organizing such an amazing national event here on our site.”

Athletes will compete for club pride, national champion titles and historic trophies in sprint canoe and kayak events across several distances. Included in the program will be Paracanoe events with athletes with physical disabilities competiting in kayak and outrigger canoe competition, as well as the Paddle All races between competitors with intellectual disabilities.

Over the 5 days of competition, a highlight with athletes and spectators will certainly be the War canoe races, an astonishing demonstration of fitness and teamwork as nine boats of fifteen paddlers go all out in a head-to-head race that often comes right down to the finish line. Burgees are presented to the overall top-ranking clubs in a tradition that began at the first Championship in 1900.

About Canoe Kayak Canada

Canoe Kayak Canada is the national governing body for competitive paddling in Canada, one of Canada’s top performing summer sports with a total of 24 Olympic medals, and a leader in the Paralympic movement. Canoe Kayak Canada is a member-based organization that includes an intricate network of clubs as well as provincial, territorial and divisional paddling associations. Elite National Team athletes proudly represent Canada at various competitions around the globe – most notably the Olympic Games, Paralympic Games, Pan American Games, ICF World Cups as well as Junior, Under 23 and Senior World Championships. Follow Canoe Kayak Canada on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram and YouTube.

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For more information :

Joannie Verret
Communications Coordinator
jverret@canoekayak.ca
(418) 271-3785

Aaron Patterson
Commodore, Wascana Racing Canoe Club
wrcc.secretary@live.com
(306) 520-8744

Photo: Liam Smedley

OTTAWA, ONTARIO (March 11, 2018) – Canoe Kayak Canada is proud to announce that the 2018 Canadian Whitewater Canoe Kayak Championships will include Canoe Slalom, Canoe Freestyle and Wildwater events. The championships will be held at Canoe Meadows on the Kananaskis River, in Alberta, from July 31^st to August 6^th.

“We are very excited to bring these different disciplines into one major national event and make the Canadian Whitewater Championships a multidisciplinary festival this year,” said Kurtis Broda, President of the Alberta Whitewater Association. “This will be a great opportunity for all whitewater athletes to come together and experience our western rivers and compete in three whitewater disciplines”.

During this multidiscipline championship, Canada’s top Canoe Slalom, Freestyle and Wildwater athletes will be competing for National Championships title. The event will also serve as selections of the Canoe Freestyle National Team that will ultimately compete at the 2019 Freestyle World Championship in Sort, Spain.

Canadian and international Canoe Slalom athletes will also have the chance to race for international ranking points as the championships will be part of the International Canoe Federation (ICF) Ranking Series.

“Our race organizers and officials have come a long way since the Pan-Am Championships and I am thrilled that the National Championships is part of the ICF ranking series”, said James Cartwright, Slalom High Performance at Canoe Kayak Canada. “This distinction gives our athletes a rare opportunity to race for international points on a Canadian course”.

The Alberta Slalom Canoe Kayak Association, Alberta Freestlye Kayak Association and the Alberta Whitewater Association are delighted to be hosting a joint Canadian Championship this summer.

The Canoe Meadows facility and the Kananaskis River provide an ideal venue for such an event including campground next to the river, two full size international slalom courses and a pedestrian friendly venue that gives family, visitors and competitors a great opportunity to watch the action close along the river!

The Whitewater National Championships will be open to all competitors and we invite all Whitewater fans to come cheer on the best Canadian athletes.

Canoe Kayak Canada will be posting the Registration Details soon.

About Canoe Kayak Canada

Canoe Kayak Canada is the national governing body for competitive paddling in Canada, one of Canada’s top performing summer sports with a total of 24 Olympic medals, and a leader in the Paralympic movement. Canoe Kayak Canada is a member-based organization that includes an intricate network of clubs as well as provincial, territorial and divisional paddling associations. Elite National Team athletes proudly represent Canada at various competitions around the globe – most notably the Olympic Games, Paralympic Games, Pan American Games, ICF World Cups as well as Junior, Under 23 and Senior World Championships. Follow Canoe Kayak Canada on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram and YouTube.

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For more information :

Joannie Verret
Communications Coordinator
jverret@canoekayak.ca
(418) 271-3785

WELLAND, ONTARIO (August 26, 2017) – For the second year in a row, the Maskwa Aquatic Club is National Champion. The Halifax Club finished this week’s Canadian Sprint Canoe Kayak Championships with a total of 794 race points, edging out Ottawa’s Rideau Canoe Club who finished with 777 points. Rounding out the top three was the Burloak Canoe Club of Oakville, Ontario with 518 points.

More than 1,000 athletes from 43 different clubs across Canada competed this week at the Welland International Flatwater Centre. Points were awarded after each race, with Maskwa athletes winning several categories including the Junior, U17 and Senior Men as well as the Masters Combined.

Maskwa wins overall Canadian Championships. – Photo: J. Verret

Today’s competition was highlighted by a record-setting performance by the four-man kayak crew from the Trois-Rivières Canoe Club who recorded the fastest 200m time ever at a National Sprint Championship. The team of Marc-Alexandre Gagnon, Charles-Antoine Girouard, Zacharie Cameron and Dominik Crête covered the distance in 31.293 seconds, reaching a top speed of 23 kilometres/hour. They finished more than a second faster than second-place Balmy Beach Canoe Club (Toronto, ON) with the Maskwa Aquatic Club taking third place.

In other 200m races on the final day of the 2017 National Championships at the Welland International Flatwater Centre:

• the Senobe Aquatic Club from Dartmouth, Nova Scotia took the Open Women’s K-4 title in a time of 38.610 seconds;
• the Junior Men’s C-4 race was captured by the crew from the Maskwa Canoe Club (Halifax, NS) in a time of 37.178 seconds;
• in the K-2 Junior Men’s event, it was the Balmy Beach Canoe Club taking top prize in a time of 33.532 seconds.

As is tradition at the Canadian Championships, the Senior Men’s C-15 1000m war canoe closed out the competition, a thrilling race that saw the Burloak Canoe Club (Oakville, ON) maintain its stranglehold on the title, beating out the Cheema Aquatic Club (Halifax, NS) and the Senobe Aquatic Club (Dartmouth, NS) for the coveted prize. Burloak has won the Senior Men’s war canoe prize for the last 14 years in a row.

Retirement ceremony for CKC athletes. – Photo: J. Verret

Also highlighting today’s program was a retirement ceremony for five National Team members:

• Adam van Koeverden (Oakville, ON) – with four Olympic and eight world championship medals, he’s the most decorated paddler in Canadian history;
• Gabriel Beauchesne-Sévigny (Trois-Rivières, QC) – Olympian (Beijing 2008) and World Cup gold medalist in C-2;
• Sam Roworth (Toronto, ON) – World Cup medalist in the K-4 1000m;
• Kathleen Fraser (Oakville, ON) – Olympian (Rio 2016) and multiple World Cup medals in K-2 and K-4;
• Genevieve Orton (Lake Echo, NS) – Olympian (Rio 2016) and multiple World Cup medals in K-2 and K-4.
• Ben Russel (Dartmouth, NS) – Pan American Games (2005) gold medalist in the C-2 1000m, Pan American Games (2007) bronze medalist on the C-1 500m and multiple ICF World Championships participations.

“I retired from international competitions, I didn’t retire from going to nationals and racing for a canoe club,” said Van Koeverdan after receiving his plaque. “It felt weird because I wasn’t saying good bye to anybody here, I will probably be here even more now. I had a great career as a national team athlete, and one of the value I cherish the most is friendship and I know I’m always going to be part of this big family,” he proudly added.

For the first time ever, the entire National Sprint Championships were live streamed on the Internet by the WOD and the RTA Sport Media of the Ryerson Univerity in Ontario, attracting a total of more than 1,000 online viewers from across the country. Paddling fans also received up-to-date race results on their mobile devices through the immediaC mobile app available through the App Store.

For full competition results, visit the Canoe Kayak Canada website.

About Canoe Kayak Canada

Canoe Kayak Canada is the national governing body for competitive paddling in Canada, one of Canada’s top performing summer sports with a total of 24 Olympic medals, and a leader in the Paralympic movement. Canoe Kayak Canada is a member-based organization that includes an intricate network of clubs as well as provincial, territorial and divisional paddling associations. Elite National Team athletes proudly represent Canada at various competitions around the globe – most notably the Olympic Games, Paralympic Games, Pan American Games, ICF World Cups as well as Junior, Under 23 and Senior World Championships. Follow Canoe Kayak Canada on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram and YouTube.

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For more information:
Joannie Verret
Communications Coordinator
jverret@canoekayak.ca
(418) 271-3785

WELLAND, ONTARIO (August 25, 2017) – They saved the best for last – the Junior Men’s C-4 1000m – the final race on Day 4 at the Canadian Sprint Canoe Kayak Championships. For the hundreds of fans at the Welland International Flatwater Centre, it was a thrilling wrap-up to another jam-packed day of elite paddling.

Decided by only a few seconds, the first place prize – and the John W. Black Trophy – went to the Lachine Canoe Club, with the Maskwa Aquatic Club in second place, and the Mississauga Canoe Club in third. It’s the first time since 1979 that Lachine has won the Black Trophy, which is the most iconic prize to be awarded at the National Championships.

Lachine’s crew wins the Junior Men’s C1 1000m.        Photo: Pascale Toupin

“The last time Lachine won the Black Trophy, I was paddling in the boat with Yves Schmidt, André Aubut and Denis Francoeur! It’s the 4th time that Lachine won that race, and in 79, it was even right here in Welland,” noted Mark Granger, national development coach at Canoe Kayak Canada. “It’s so nice to see young guys like them winning the Black Trophy, it’s like the Stanley Cup in canoeing,” added Granger, pointing at the crew holding their big prize.

Lachine’s crew member and Mark Granger with the Black Trophy.              Photo: Pascale Toupin

The Junior Men’s War Canoe also stole the show in the 1000m event, with Mathieu Pelletier’s crew from Trois-Rivières collapsing at the finish line after taking the crown, only a fraction of seconds in front of the Maskwa Aquatic Club. It’s an extremely challenging event, with paddlers working at high intensity for close to four minutes.

The biggest crowd of the week enjoyed over 50 war canoe and crew boat races during the day. The national championships wrap up tomorrow with another full slate of races, with the Senior Men’s 1000m war canoe race as the grand finale.

At the conclusion of today’s races, about 40 former paddlers and member of Canoe Kayak Canada’s (CKC) – including Olympians, Adam Van Koeverden (Toronto, ON) and Emilie Fournel (Montréal, QC) – gathered to help launch CKC’s first Alumni Program. The national initiative aims to bring together former athletes, coaches and volunteers from all three disciplines (sprint, slalom and marathon) to celebrate past accomplishments and contribute to the sport’s future growth.

With one day of competition left, the Maskwa Aquatic Club has jumped into the overall lead with 659 points, ahead of the Rideau Canoe Club at 633 points. The Burloak Canoe Club is a distant third with 399 points.

For the first time ever, the entire National Sprint Championships are being live streamed on the Internet. More than 1,200 fans logged on to watch the action on Day 3.

Paddling fans can also receive up-to-date race results on their mobile device through the immediaC mobile app available through the App Store.

For full competition results, visit the Canoe Kayak Canada website.

About Canoe Kayak Canada

Canoe Kayak Canada is the national governing body for competitive paddling in Canada, one of Canada’s top performing summer sports with a total of 24 Olympic medals, and a leader in the Paralympic movement. Canoe Kayak Canada is a member-based organization that includes an intricate network of clubs as well as provincial, territorial and divisional paddling associations. Elite National Team athletes proudly represent Canada at various competitions around the globe – most notably the Olympic Games, Paralympic Games, Pan American Games, ICF World Cups as well as Junior, Under 23 and Senior World Championships. Follow Canoe Kayak Canada on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram and YouTube.

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For more information:
Joannie Verret
Communications Coordinator
jverret@canoekayak.ca
(418) 271-3785

WELLAND, ONTARIO (August 22, 2017) – The war canoe races are always a highlight of the Canadian Sprint Canoe Kayak Championships and today’s competition was no exception.

Powered by 15 paddlers, these iconic wooden boats move at remarkable speeds over distances ranging from 200m to 1000m.

In the Senior Mixed 200m race, Adam Oldershaw’s crew from the Burloak Canoe Club in Toronto grabbed gold. For the Juniors, it was Andres Carranco’s crew from Ottawa’s Rideau Canoe Club crossing the finish line first in the Mixed 200m race, followed closely by Luc Grenier’s crew from Lac Beauport, Québec and Jacob McKenna’s crew from the Senobe Aquatic Club in Nova Scotia crossing third.

Photo: Pascale Toupin

It was an historic medal for the Quebec crew, marking the first time in 16 years that the Lac Beauport Canoe Club has earned a medal in a war canoe race at the national championships.

“It has been exactly 16 years since Lac Beauport stepped on the podium at nationals,” proudly said Luc Grenier, head coach and crew captain, after distributing the 14 medals to his athletes. “For several years we have had a large group of very young athletes at the club, it is very motivating and stimulating for a whole club to win a team medal of war canoe because there is nothing that gives as much energy as to win a medal in C15, “he added.

In a thrilling finish, Jonathan Pike’s crew from the Maskwa Aquatic Club in Halifax won the U17 Mixed 200m over Brian Stever’s crew from the Mic Mac Aquatic Canoe Club (Dartmouth, NS), with Reid Farquharson’s crew from the Rideau Canoe Club (Ottawa, ON) a close third.

Canada is the only country in the world to race war canoes using boats that have remained virtually unchanged for decades.

The war canoe competition can often make a big difference in the overall points race, but after today’s action, it’s extremely close at the top, with the Rideau Canoe Club at 508 points, just four points ahead of the Maskwa Aquatic Club.

Photo: Pascale Toupin

Day 4 will feature more crew races at the 200m, 500m and 1000m distances as well as Paralympic singles and master races.

For the first time ever, the entire National Sprint Championships are being live streamed on the Internet. Paddling fans can also receive up-to-date race results on their mobile device through the immediaC mobile app available through the App Store.

For full competition results, visit the Canoe Kayak Canada website.

About Canoe Kayak Canada

Canoe Kayak Canada is the national governing body for competitive paddling in Canada, one of Canada’s top performing summer sports with a total of 24 Olympic medals, and a leader in the Paralympic movement. Canoe Kayak Canada is a member-based organization that includes an intricate network of clubs as well as provincial, territorial and divisional paddling associations. Elite National Team athletes proudly represent Canada at various competitions around the globe – most notably the Olympic Games, Paralympic Games, Pan American Games, ICF World Cups as well as Junior, Under 23 and Senior World Championships. Follow Canoe Kayak Canada on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram and YouTube.

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For more information:
Joannie Verret
Communications Coordinator
jverret@canoekayak.ca
(418) 271-3785

Photo: Pascale Toupin

WELLAND, ONTARIO (August 22, 2017) – The toughest part about racing at the Canadian Sprint Canoe Kayak Championships today wasn’t necessarily the other paddlers, it was the swirling winds of up to 50 km/hr that made navigating the Welland International Flatwater Centre extremely difficult.

More than 1,000 athletes from 43 different clubs across the country have gathered in southern Ontario for five days of intense competition. A jam-packed race schedule on Day 1 featured the individual C-1 and K-1 races at three different distances: 200m, 500m, and 6,000m. Through 68 heats and 32 finals, athletes showed tremendous perseverance and determination to battle the weather conditions.

“It’s very difficult to manage winds like today’s,” said Mark Granger, Canoe Kayak Canada’s National Development Coach. “It takes incredible concentration, but above all it takes mental strength. It’s a pity to have such tough conditions at the Canadian championships, but it’s part of the sport, and the athletes have to be prepared for that.”

Granger noted that it’s particularly challenging for canoers to steer their boats when the winds are blowing so strongly from one side. “Just keeping your canoe inside the lane markers on a day like today is a huge challenge, so they all deserve a lot of credit for that,” he added.

Photo: Pascale Toupin

“It’s pretty windy and gusty out there,” said Jenna Neate from the Burloak Canoe Club after winning the Women’s K1 6000m race. “There are parts where there is no wind and then all of a sudden it hits you hard from the side, but as long as you fight trough it, don’t let it take control of you paddle and know how to use your strength when there is wind it’s all good,” she happily said after the race.

Singles competition continues on Day 2 with 500m and 1,000m races.

For the first time ever, the entire National Sprint Championships are being live streamed on the Internet. Paddling fans can also receive up-to-date race results on their mobile device through the immediaC mobile app available through the App Store.

For full competition results, visit the Canoe Kayak Canada website.

About Canoe Kayak Canada

Canoe Kayak Canada is the national governing body for competitive paddling in Canada, one of Canada’s top performing summer sports with a total of 24 Olympic medals, and a leader in the Paralympic movement. Canoe Kayak Canada is a member-based organization that includes an intricate network of clubs as well as provincial, territorial and divisional paddling associations. Elite National Team athletes proudly represent Canada at various competitions around the globe – most notably the Olympic Games, Paralympic Games, Pan American Games, ICF World Cups as well as Junior, Under 23 and Senior World Championships. Follow Canoe Kayak Canada on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram and YouTube.

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For more information:
Joannie Verret
Communications Coordinator
jverret@canoekayak.ca
(418) 271-3785