OTTAWA, ON (September 28, 2021) — Canoe Kayak Canada Marathon team is racing at the 2021 ICF Canoe Marathon World Championships this week in Bascov, Romania.
The Canadian team will compete from September 30 – October 3, led by Team Leader and CKC President, Chris Helyar.
The World Marathon Championships is a lap-format race with the start, finish and portage in the same area.
Canadian athletes will take part in the short distance events on September 30 (approximately 9km) in the C1 and K1 classes. There is a set of heats with the qualifying boats going to the finals. There are three laps for all competitors.
Athletes will also compete in the long distance events from October 1-3 (approx. 13 km to 28km). The number of laps ranges from 4-8 depending on the race category. The senior athletes are expected to complete the distance in a time of approximately two hours fifteen minutes.
Meet the Canadian team:
K1 Men – Andrii Kkainatskyi
Andrii paddles for the Viking Canoe Club (Morin-Heights), lives in Montreal, Quebec. Andrii was born in Ukraine, where he started to paddle in a kayak at the age of 11 years old. At the junior age (1999-2004), he became the champion of the various national championships in sprint and marathon kayak races. Later, with the Ukrainian National Dragon boat team and Canadian Dragon boat team.
C1 Men – Bret Himmelman
Bret paddles for Maskwa Aquatic Club in Halifax, Nova Scotia and is on the Canadian National Sprint Team. Bret has previously raced internationally for Team Canada at World Cups and CANAM MEX. Bret will be racing at his first World Marathon Championships this year.
C1 Women – Marlee MacIntosh.
Marlee paddles for Maskwa Aquatic Club in Halifax, NS. Marlee participated in the 2018 ICF Canoe Marathon World Championships, winning gold in the Jr Women’s C1 event. She has also represented Canada six times internationally for sprint canoe and has won numerous medals at the national championship level.
Congratulations to the Canadian Masters athletes who competed at the 2021 ICF Canoe Marathon Masters World Championships on September 27-28. Canada had 3 entries and four medals at this event.
C1 Men – 65-69 – Chris Helyar – GOLD
K1 Women – 55-59 – Edit Fried – BRONZE
K2 Women – 35+ – Edit Fried/Larisa Antonova (Russia) – GOLD
K2 Mixed – 55-59 – Edit Fried/Alain Buliard – SILVER
K1 Men – 55-59 – Alain Bulaird – 10th place
For more information on the event click here.