OTTAWA, ONTARIO (July 7, 2017) – Elite international, national and provincial level paddlers are in Shawinigan, Quebec this weekend for the Sprint Canada Cup #2 Regatta. The competition brings together teams from Canada, Mexico, Australia and the United States, Provincial teams from Quebec, Nova Scotia and Ontario, alongside club teams from across Ontario and Quebec.

After last weekend’s intense matchup between Canada and Mexico in the Men’s Canoe competition at Canada Cup Regatta #1 in Ottawa, this event provides another opportunity for these crews to go head-to-head again. Canada’s Senior Men’s Kayak team will also be in tough, competing against crews from Mexico and Australia.

The event will showcase a beautiful racecourse on the Saint-Maurice River. After hosting the Canada Cup in 2016, the community of Shawinigan is excited to cheer on the Canadian athletes.

“Along side the international competition, this is also an important regatta for the provincial crews from Ontario, Nova Scotia and Quebec, ” said Ian Mortimer, Director of Development for Canoe Kayak Canada and a former national team canoe athlete and coach. “It’s their final tune-up before the Canada Summer Games in Winnipeg in August. This is an excellent opportunity to test their readiness for this competition.”

Complete event results can be found here.

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.

-30-

For more information:
Ian Mortimer
Director of Development
(O) 613.260.1818 ext 2201
(M) 613.323.2264

OTTAWA, ONTARIO (July 3, 2017) – The Canada Day weekend featured an outstanding canoe kayak competition as elite paddlers converged on the nation’s capital for the Sprint Canada Cup 1 Regatta, a two-day event hosted by the Rideau Canoe Club. The competition brought together top crews from the United States, Mexico, Australia and the United States, alongside junior and senior club teams from across Ontario and Quebec.

Among the many highlights was a remarkable performance by 14-year-old Evie McDonald (Carleton Place, ON) of Team Ontario, who dominated both the U16 and U18 Women’s Canoe divisions, winning six gold medals in the six races she entered.

At the senior level, spectators were treated to an epic battle between Canada and Mexico in the Men’s Canoe competition. In the C-1 1000m final, former World Champion Jose Everado Cristobal Quirino of Mexico pushed past both Craig Spence (Dartmouth, NS) and Olympic and World Championship medalist, Mark Oldershaw (Burlington, ON).

But, Team Canada roared back to sweep the podium in the Men’s C-2 1000m with the crew of Drew Hodges (Ottawa, ON) and Craig Spence (Dartmouth, NS) taking gold, Mark Oldershaw and Roland Varga (Richmond Hill, ON) winning silver, and Connor Fitzpatrick (Dartmouth, NS) and Tom Hall (Waverly, NS) completing the Canadian sweep.

In Men’s Kayak, the K-4 500m – added as a new event to the program for the 2020 Olympic Summer Games in Tokyo – lived up to the pre-race hype, with the Mexican crew edging out Australia and a tenacious Team Ontario.

In the U16 Women’s K-4 500m final, the hometown crowd had something special to cheer for, as crews from the host Rideau Canoe Club took both the gold and the silver.

Complete event results can be found here.

The Canada Cup continues next weekend with Canada Cup #2 in Shawinigan, QC.

More info here: http://canoekayak.wpengine.com/event/sprint-canada-cup-2/

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.

-30-

For more information:
Ian Mortimer
Director of Development
(O) 613.260.1818 ext 2201
(M) 613.323.2264

MARKLEEBERG, GERMANY (June 30, 2017) – On the International Canoe Federation (ICF) World Cup circuit, Haley Daniels (Calgary, AB) has earned her first semi-final berth of the season, and Cameron Smedley (Dunrobin, ON) has qualified for the semi-finals for the third time in three races this month.

Daniels, 26, paddled into the women’s C1 semi-final after placing 29^th in the qualification heats with a time of 140.97 seconds. Spain’s Nuria Vilarrubla set the standard with a time of 109.53 seconds.

“I’m thrilled to make my first semi-final of the season,” said Daniels after the race. “It was a very difficult course but I made it through to the next stage. I’m super excited and proud to be racing on Canada’s 150^th birthday weekend.”

The technically demanding race course on Leipzig’s Kanupark features 17 downstream gates and 6 upstream gates. A total of seven Canadian athletes took to the start line looking for a semi-final spot.

Smedley, 26, finished 23^rd overall in the men’s C1 qualification round and will compete in the semifinal on Sunday morning. He recorded a fast second run with a time of 99.73 seconds with no penalties, just over two seconds behind leader, Franz Anton of Germany, who had a very strong run at 97.67 seconds. Fellow Canadian, Spencer Pomeroy (Ottawa, ON) finished 44^th overall and did not qualify for the semi-finals.

“I was happy with how I raced today,” Smedley said. “My first run went well but a penalty kept me from qualifying on that run. Second run, I kept to a similar race plan and I put down a good run time. The semifinals course looks quite technical so I’m excited to race it on Sunday.”

None of the Canadian kayakers have advanced through to the semi-finals: Keenan Simpson of Ottawa (64th), Finley Capstick of Chilliwack, BC (66th), and Darius Ramrattan of Innisfail, Alberta (DNF 2nd run). The young trio now sets their sights on the Junior and Under 23 World Championships in mid-July.

Florence Maheu (Salaberry-de-Valleyfield, QC) missed the top 30 cut needed to advance, finishing 36^th overall after producing a penalty free second run. Mallory Franklin of Great Britain led the women’s qualification round with a time of 101.38 seconds.

Sunday’s finals will be webcast on CBC’s digital platforms. CBC Sports is the Official Broadcast Partner of Canoe Kayak Canada.

CBC webcast times – watch online at cbcsports.ca or via the CBC Sports app.

• Saturday at 1:30 p.m. EST
• Sunday at 1:30 p.m. EST

Results

Summary of Results

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.

-30-

For more information:

James Cartwright
High Performance Manager
613.715 0727
jcartwright@canoekayak.ca

OTTAWA, ONTARIO (June 26, 2017) – A hugely successful National Sprint Team Trials regatta this weekend, combined with promising sprint World Cup results, put Canada in a strong position to challenge for the podium at this season’s World Championships and other key international regattas.

“We’ve got a great mix of proven veterans and outstanding young talent,” said Graham Barton, Canoe Kayak Canada’s Chief Technical Officer. “Led by Laurence Vincent-Lapointe (Trois-Rivières, QC) in Senior Women’s Canoe, the current world record holder and double gold medalist in C-1 200m from the World Cup Tour this spring, and rising stars like Palmer Lumb (Toronto, ON) in Junior Men’s Kayak, we’re excited about seeing many world-class performances this season.”

Barton emphasized the depth of talent in Canadian paddling at all age groups. At the U23 level, he noted that competitions are difficult to predict, but that Canada can realistically expect to qualify for many of the sprint canoe and kayak finals.

“This season’s World Championships are a fantastic testing ground for the 2020 Olympic Games in Tokyo and, for some of our younger paddlers, for the 2024 Games,” he added.

For example, Craig Spence (Dartmouth, NS) performed extremely well at the ICF Canoe Sprint World Cup #2 earlier this year in Hungary and is well positioned to challenge for a berth in the finals at the U23 World Championships from July 27-30 in Pitești, Romania. On the women’s side, Katie Vincent (Mississauga, ON) is expected to challenge for a medal in the C-1 200m and 500m sprints in Romania.

In paracanoe competition, two-time national champion, Erica Scarff (Toronto, ON) will be among the top paddlers in the K-1 200m KL3 event at the Senior World Championships.

Barton emphasized that this weekend’s results in Junior Men’s and Women’s competitions at the immediaC National Sprint Trials in Dartmouth confirm that Canada is deep in talent and will make waves at the Junior World Championships next month.

“When you look at 15-year old Sophia Jensen (Chelsea, QC) in Women’s Single Canoe, Isaac Finkelstein (Ottawa, ON) in Men’s Single Canoe, and Grace Whebby in Junior Women’s Kayak (Dartmouth, NS), we have every reason to be excited and optimistic about what Team Canada will do in Romania,” added Barton.

Today’s announcement fills out Team Canada rosters for the upcoming Junior, U23, and Senior World Championships. Final team selections will be confirmed by July 16^th.

Senior World Championship Team

Men’s Kayak

Women’s Kayak

Men’s Canoe

Women’s Canoe

Women’s Paracanoe

U23 World Championship Team

Men’s Kayak

Women’s Kayak

Men’s Canoe

Women’s Canoe

Junior World Championship Team

Men’s Kayak

Women’s Kayak

Men’s Canoe

Women’s Canoe

Junior Pan American Championship Team

Men’s Kayak

Women’s Kayak

Men’s Canoe

Women’s Canoe

U17 Canada Cup/Canamex Team

Men’s Kayak

Women’s Kayak

Men’s Canoe

Women’s Canoe

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.

-30-

For more information:

Ian Mortimer
(O) 613.260.1818 ext 2201
(M) 613.323.2264
imortimer@canoekayak.ca

DARTMOUTH, NOVA SCOTIA (June 24, 2017) – Three standout paddlers stole the spotlight on Day 2 of the immediaC Canadian Sprint Canoe Kayak Team Trials in Dartmouth, Nova Scotia.

Fifteen-year-old Sophia Jensen (Chelsea, QC) took the gold in the Junior Women’s C-1 500m. It follows her Day 1 victory in the Junior Women’s C-1 200m.

Among the junior men, Issac Finkelstein, 18, who paddles out of the Rideau Canoe Club in Ottawa, added two more gold medals, winning the Junior C-1 500m title and the Junior C- 2 1000m with his 18-year-old partner, Conor O’Neil (Ottawa, ON). Finkelstein provided one of the most dominant performances on Day 1, leaving the rest of the field in his wake in taking the gold in the Junior Men’s C-1 1000m.

In Senior Women’s competition, 26-year-old, Lissa Bissonnette (Pointe-Claire, QC) confirmed why she’s considered the class of the field in women’s kayak, winning the K-1 200m. It’s her second gold medal of the regatta, having won the Senior Women’s K-1 500m on Day One.

Among other Day 2 winners was 17-year-old Ashley Card (Halifax, NS) who overcame pre-race nerves to power to victory in the Junior Women’s K-1 500m. “I was pretty nervous at the start but stuck to my race plan and it went perfectly,” she said from the regatta on Lake Banook. “It felt really good to get the win – I’ve been nervous all week and crossing the line felt great.”

Ashley Card of the Maskwa Aquatic Club in Halifax receives her gold medal for the Junior Women’s K-1 500m at the immediaC Canadian Sprint Team Trials. Presenting the medal is Halifax Regional Municipality Councillor, Sam Austin, while silver medalist, Samantha Sula (Toronto, ON), looks on.

In the Men’s KL3 K-1 200m Paracanoe competition, Zacharie Lauzière-Fitzgerald, 18, of Sherbrooke beat out Trinity Tratch, 18, of Calgary for the top spot.

“A lot of great things are happening that I didn’t expect this year,” said Lauzière-Fitzgerald, who qualified for a final at his first World Cup earlier this spring. “Getting four races at the international level has really helped my confidence.”

Men’s KL3 K-1 200m gold medalist, Zacharie Lauzière-Fitzgerald (left) of Sherbrooke, along with silver medalist, Trinity Tratch, of Calgary.

This weekend’s immediaC Canadian Sprint Canoe Kayak Team Trials are being used to select Canada’s 2017 Junior World Championship Team and to continue the selection process for this year’s U23 World Championships and the Senior World Championships, where both able bodied and Para athletes will compete.

The top three finishers in each event are listed in the table below, along with their home clubs. Full regatta results can be found here. Follow the action live by using the immediaC Canoe Kayak app available through the App Store.

Junior Men’s C2 1000m

Junior Men’s K1 500m

Junior Women’s K1 500m

Junior Women’s C-1 500m

Junior Men’s C-1 500m

Senior Men’s K-1 1000m

Senior Women’s K-1 200m

Open Men’s Para K1 200m

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.

About immediaC

immediaC is Canada’s most experienced web shop, having built more than 3500 websites since 1998. The company provides websites, search marketing, and mobile apps for organizations across Canada including Neptune Theatre, Atlantic Division Canoe Kayak, Senobe, Nova Scotia International Tattoo, Massage Addict, and the Nova Scotia Teacher’s Union.

-30-

For more information:

Ian Mortimer
Director of Development
(O) 613.260.1818 ext 2201
(M) 613.323.2264
imortimer@canoekayak.ca

PRAGUE, CZECH REPUBLIC (June 16, 2017) – Cameron Smedley (Dunrobin, ON) opened the first ICF Canoe Slalom World Cup in Prague by qualifying for Sunday’s semi-finals. Smedley placed 28^th overall in the preliminary heat of the Men’s C1. Heavy winds and cooler temperatures in the afternoon presented challenging racing conditions in a sport where precision and speed are critical. A top-ten result in the semi-final Sunday morning will put him through to the afternoon final. Spencer Pomeroy (Ottawa, ON) and Yannick Laviolette (St-Louis-de-Gonzague, QC) placed 43^rd and 58^th respectively.

Jessica Groeneveld (Innisfail, AB) produced Canada’s top women’s kayak result, placing 43^rd overall in Friday’s preliminary heats. Salaberry-de-Valleyfield’s Florence Maheu, racing in her first season as a member of the Senior National Team, was close behind in 44^th position. Maheu produced a quick run but incurred two touches to knock her out of contention for the semi-final. Lois Betteridge (Ottawa, ON) finished 65^th overall.

“This was a strong field, and I know that I have the speed to make it to the semi-final, but I need to deliver a clean run,” said Maheu. “I’m happy with my run time, but frustrated that I touched gate 21. Afterwards I lost my focus on the last gate sequence near the finish line.”

Lois Betteridge (Ottawa, ON) placed 36^th and Haley Daniels (Calgary, AB) finished 42^nd in the heats for Women’s C1, which was recently added to the program for the 2020 Olympic Summer Games in Tokyo. A top-thirty result was needed to advance to the semi-finals.

Andrew Musgrave (Ottawa, ON) and Keenan Simpson (Ottawa, ON) placed 72^nd and 69^th respectively using this first international event to build experience in preparation for the U23 and Junior World Championships in Bratislava, Slovakia later this summer.

“The race today was okay. I executed my race plan on my first run and my strategy on my second run was to race more aggressively to gain some time. Unfortunately, I picked up three touches which resulted in a slower run” said Musgrave. “Overall, it was a good learning experience giving me something to build on and aim to deliver a strong performance in Bratislava at the U23 World Championships.”

This weekend’s races will be webcast on CBC’s digital platforms. CBC Sports is the Official Broadcast Partner of Canoe Kayak Canada.

CBC webcast times – watch online at cbcsports.ca or via the CBC Sports app.

• Saturday at 1:30 p.m. EST
• Sunday at 1:30 p.m. EST

Results

Summary of Results

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.