Alexandra McGee
(photo: Rfort Fotos)
Ford, Groeneveld, Smedley and McGee top slalom podium
CHILLIWACK, BC – The Canadian National Whitewater Championships wrapped up over the weekend on the Tamihi Rapids in Chilliwack, BC. The event was hosted by the Chilliwack Centre of Excellence Paddling Club and CanoeKayak BC, and sanctioned by CanoeKayak Canada.
Five-time Olympian David Ford of Edmonton, AB won the Men’s K1. Jessica Groeneveld of Innisfail, Alberta delivered a fast and clean run to earn the Women’s K1 National Championship title. Cameron Smedley of Dunrobin, ON, who is fresh off capturing a silver medal at the Toronto 2015 Pan American Games, grabbed the gold in Men’s C1. Ottawa’s Alexandra McGee won the Women’s C1. The Men’s C2 title went to Cameron Smedley (Dunrobin, ON) and Ben Hayward (Edmonton, AB).
Summary of Results
| Men’s K1 | 1) David Ford (Edmonton, AB) 2) Michael Tayler (Ottawa, ON) 3) Ryley Penner (Lundbreck, AB) |
| Women’s K1 | 1) Jessica Groeneveld (Innisfail, AB) 2) Thea Froehlich (Ottawa, ON) 3) Florence Maheu (Valleyfield, QC) |
| Men’s C1 | 1) Cameron Smedley (Dunrobin, ON) 2) Liam Smedley (Dunrobin, ON) 3) Yannick Laviolette (Valleyfield, QC) |
| Women’s C1 | 1) Alexandra McGee (Ottawa, ON) 2) Haley Daniels (Calgary, AB) 3) Lois Betteridge (Ottawa, AB) |
| Men’s C2 | 1) Cameron Smedley (Dunrobin, ON) & Ben Hayward (Edmonton, AB) 2) Pelly Vincent-Braun & Mael Prono (Yukon) 3) Nicholas Atkinson & Trevor Boyd (Alberta) |
Podium Prospect Award
The Podium prospect award returned to the venue where it was first launched in 2007 by athletes John Hastings and Michael Tayler. The award recognizes athletes with the highest aggregated point total from both slalom and downriver in the cadet and junior categories. The award has helped to encourage participation across all classes.
Podium Prospect Winners
- Avery Wilkins – Cadet Men, BC
- Isabel Taylor – Cadet Women, BC
- Hannah Penner – Female Women, AB
- Trevor Boyd – Junior Men, AB
David Ford
(photo: Rfort Fotos)
Alberta wins Brian Creer Cup
Alberta Slalom Canoe Kayak topped the provincial rankings and won the prestigious Brian Creer Cup with a total 124 points. The Brian Creer Cup is awarded annually to the province that achieves the highest points total for results in the Canoe Slalom, Downriver Sprint and Classic National championships. Points are awarded to competitors that place in the top 5 in the Canoe Slalom competition and Top 3 in the Downriver competitions.
| Province | Points |
| Alberta | 124 |
| Ontario | 99 |
| British Columbia | 65 |
| Quebec | 34 |
| Yukon | 21 |
| Saskatchewan | 4 |
CanoeKayak Canada is the national governing body for competitive paddling in Canada. The organization’s vision is to be a Canadian sport for families, communities and champions. From supporting clubs to developing a competitive National Team, CanoeKayak Canada works to grow a sport which is a rich part of Canada’s heritage.
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Media Contact:
Ian Miller
Communications and Marketing Officer, CanoeKayak Canada
613.314.1352
imiller@canoekayak.ca