Kayaking and Paddling Events
For a free listing on this page, please format information as it appears in the listings below and email to kayak@wavelengthmagazine.com.
Clean Up The Coast Contest
Taking place all summer, various locations
Wavelength Magazine and like-minded companies are supporting efforts across North America to clean up our coastlines through Wavelength's first Clean Up the Coast contest. Everyone can take part through store-sponsored events, club-sponsored cleanups or individual efforts. For more information, see our Cleanup page.
April 29 to Sept. 2, 2010
MEC Big Chop Summer Paddle Series
Vanier Park near the Planetarium and Burrard Street Bridge (south side)
The Mountain Equipment Coop Big Chop Summer Paddle Series begins on April 29, 2010, off the shores of Vanier Park in Vancouver. This ten race series will be held every second Thursday and is open to paddling enthusiasts of all levels. Racers in kayaks, surfskis and outriggers canoes will battle it out on either the 8km 'Big Chop', or the 4km 'Little Chop'.
July 23 - Aug. 1, 2010
Skin On Frame Workshop with Turner Wilson
Build a traditional skin on frame kayak designed to fit you and your paddling goals. Workshop will take place in Comox, Vancouver Island. For more info visit www.kayakways.net or email tmgr@telus.net.
Aug. 14, 2010
Mayor’s Cup – New York City Kayak Championships
79th Street Boat Basin; New York, New York
28 mile competitive course, offering the following classes: Open Elite, Sea Kayak, OC1, OC2, OC6
Contact Information:
Ray Fusco
Phone: 845-440-3127
E-mail: ray@nymayorscup.com
For more information and to register for the races go to http://www.nymayorscup.com
Overview
The Mayor's Cup New York City Kayak Championship is New York City’s marathon by water! This 28 mile marathon paddling race, around Manhattan Island, is made up of elite paddlers as well as enthusiast paddlers. We welcome all talented paddlers to participate. The Mayor’s Cup race draws some of the worlds and the regions most accomplished paddlers traveling from 22 countries and 25 states for this epic experience. This New York City paddling tradition started in 1927 and its early roots date back to the 1880’s.
The course is a full circumnavigation of Manhattan Island starting on the Hudson River. The combination of 28 miles in distance, very unpredictable sea states and extremely busy commercial traffic lends itself to one of the toughest courses in North America.
Course Description
The course is a full circumnavigation of Manhattan Island starting on the Hudson River. The combination of 28 miles in distance, very unpredictable sea states and extremely busy commercial traffic lends itself to one of the toughest courses in North America.
If you are a talented paddler with the mettle to finish this serious race than this is an event you won't want to miss. Take Manhattan by paddle!
We are proud to announce that 2010 marks the fifth year of the Mayor's Cup New York City Kayak Championships. We are pleased to offer $15,000 in prize money along with $20,000 in prizes - $5,000 goes to the Mayor's Cup winner with all categories receiving cash and prizes. In 2010 we have changed our date to earlier in the summer, August 14, 2010. We moved our location to the 79th street Boat Basin, a NYC water trail site.
Check out this Google Map for detailed information about the course
Racing Strategy
Hell Gate
Combining water from Long Island Sound, the Harlem River and the East River to create standing waves, whirlpools and very confused water. The East River's currents can move as quickly as 7 knots.
The Battery
Where water from the Hudson, East River and Buttermilk Channel converge - can produce waters with a 3 to 6 foot chop and tons of refracting waves. At this point in the race the currents are running against you on your last 2 miles to the finish!
Spectator Tips
There are many places to spectate for the Mayor's Cup. Most people find it best to choose several spots along the course and traverse across Manhattan to see racers on one side of the island and then the other.
Here is a Google Map with more detailed info and some great spots to spectate.
Miscellaneous Info
Safety information:
Please review the safety page on the Mayor's Cup web page for all the latest details. http://www.nymayorscup.com/safety.php
Race participation guidelines:
You must demonstrate a history of at least 3 races of similar distances with completion and competitive times. Demonstrate ability to paddle at 5 mph over a 5 mile distance. Demonstrate at least 5 years paddling experience, solo and assisted rescues training, demonstrate experience and exposure to paddling with and against 3 knot currents, documented paddling experience on trips of at least 20 miles in 6 hours. Must finish the race in 6 hours of will be removed from the water.
Aug. 14-15
Greenlandic Comprehensive Paddling Workshop
Deep Cove Kayaks, North Vancouver
Cheri and Turner are sole partners in Kayak Ways LLC, a venturebased on the notion that the traditional kayaking skills and tools of the Inuit seal catchers offer valuable lessons for the modern day recreational kayaker. Learn Greenland strokes: forward canted, bow and stern
sweeps, Bow and stern rudders, draws, and bracing. Explore Greenland rolling variations: Both layback and
forward recoveries with the paddle will be demonstrated and taught as well as norsaq and hand rolls, etc.
Cheri Perry competed in the Greenland National Kayaking Championships in both 2004 & 2005, in events ranging from rolling to individual and relay races. She is widely regarded as one of the best Greenland-style kayak rollers in the world. Turner Wilson A skinny sticker for 12 years, and one of those rare paddlers outside of Greenland who began paddling with a traditional blade. Turner competed in the Greenland National Kayaking Championships in July of 2005, in events ranging from rolling to individual and relay races, winning 6 gold medals.
$175 for one full day session Dates are August 14 or 15. Course includes use of a Greenland Paddle. Call 604 987 8028 to register.
Aug. 21, 2010
Open Water Regatta
Jericho Sailing Centre, Vancouver
ClubLocarno is organizing an Open Water Regatta on Saturday, August 21 at the Jericho Sailing Centre. Come join us for a day of racing, cheering and fun! The regatta includes 5km, 10km races, and a fun relay! Races are open to all single and double "non-sail" craft: rowing, kayaking, surf skis, SUP and outriggers. Following the races there will be a social BBQ/ awards ceremony, and make sure to bring your friends for the party later that evening upstairs at the Jericho Sailing Centre.
Schedule for the day is as follows:
· Registration: 8:30am
· Race meeting: 9:00am
· 1st Race: 10:00am
· BBQ and Awards: 2:00pm - 4:00pm
Download the registration form at www.clublocarno.com/rowingregatta/. Registration fee is $25, or $20 if registered before August 9th. Registration fee includes the BBQ and your first beer at the party. For more information please email: rowingregatta@clublocarno.com
Aug. 26-29, 2010
Greenland Paddling Symposium
Lake Superior goes Greenland! Naturally Superior Adventures hosts Ontario’s only Greenland-style sea kayak symposium on Lake Superior. Instructors include Bonnie Perry and Doug Van Doren, two of North America’s finest Greenland-style paddlers. Perfect for first-time and experienced Greenland-style paddlers alike, registration includes the use of a handmade paddle.
Web: www.naturallysuperior.com
Email: info@naturallysuperior.com
Phone: 1-800-203-9092
Sept. 17-19, 2010
Tour du Teche, Louisiana
Tour du Teche, a 130-mile race for canoes and kayaks through the Cajun, Creole and Indian country of southern Louisiana, is on for Sept. 17-19, 2010. It’s a non-stop race from Port Barre to Berwick, down the entire length of Bayou Teche through hardwood bottoms and past lush sugarcane fields and antebellum planation homes. There will be a cash prize for the first team to finish. A special Cajun pirogue is being raffled off to raise money for the prize, which figures to be at least a couple of thousand dollars. All racers who finish within the allotted 60 hours will receive a voyageur’s toque, a jaunty Bemidji wool stocking cap with the Tour du Teche leather medallion that will henceforth brand the wearer as a boatman/women with uncommon skill and determination. All participants receive the official race T-shirt. The race will be USCA sanctioned and include first-place recognition in the following classes: Texas (unlimited) Texas solo C-1 (sub categories: overall, women, juniors and seniors) C-2 (sub categories: overall, women, juniors, seniors and mixed) K-1 (sub categories: overall, women, juniors and seniors) K-2 (sub categories: overall, women, juniors, seniors and mixed) Aluminum (sub categories: overall, women, juniors, seniors and mixed) Aluminum solo (sub categories: overall, women, juniors and seniors) Standard (sub categories: overall, women, juniors, seniors and mixed) Standard solo (sub categories: overall, women, juniors and seniors) Entry fee is $75 per paddler. Each team is encourage to provide a “coureur de bois,” or bank runner, primarily responsible for preceding the team downstream and seeing to the paddlers’ needs, including transportation. For teams that cannot provide their own coureur, every effort will be made to match them up with a local volunteer who can assume the role. There is no fee for the coureur. Food and drink will be available at official checkpoints at no cost for the racers and their coureurs. There will be a social event and racers’ meeting in the evening Thursday, Sept. 16. Tour du Teche is a program under The TECHE Project, a civic organization dedicated to preserving and promoting the historic waterway that opened wild Louisiana to the French, Acadians and others. The Chitimacha gave the bayou its name, from a word for snake, with a legend that the waterway was formed by the decaying carcass of a huge serpent slain by the tribe’s warriors. For more information, contact Ken Grissom, kengrissom@aol.com, (337) 394-6232.
More details, including rules and a entry form, are found at www.techeproject.com.
Sept. 18, 2010
Kayak For a Cure, Comox
We will be paddling on September 18th 2010 from Goose Spit Regional Park to Sandy Island Provincial Park and return. It's a modest trip at 12 km return, as we don't want to scare off beginner paddlers, but also want to keep it interesting for those more experienced. After our return to Goose Spit, we will be hosting a BBQ on the beach, as well as a few prizes and draws.
What I am looking for is anyone who is interested in paddling to raise funds for the Cancer Society (all monies raised go to this charity). It involves hitting up friends, family, and anyone else for pledges. Then just a good day on the water and a chance to meet a few new paddlers and have fun. If anyone has guiding experience, and would donate their time to keep an eye on the group, would be welcome as well.
Our website, as well as a system synched with the Canadian cancer Society and options to join or donate to a specific paddler will be up shortly. In the meantime check out kayakforacure.org for info on the sucessful events ran in Victoria and Vancouver in previous years.
- Blaine Brown, Courtenay, BC
Oct. 1-3, 2010
Surf Superior Confluence
Enjoy laid back soul surfin’ or intense ender sessions in the freshwater surf playground at the mouth of the Michipicoten River. This informal gathering of surf-seeking intermediate to advanced paddlers takes advantage of autumnal gales and late summer warm water to provide an informal, instructional and by all means entertaining way to cap off your paddling season in early October.
Web: www.naturallysuperior.com
Email: info@naturallysuperior.com
Phone: 1-800-203-9092
Oct 14-17, 2010
3rd Annual Georgian Bay Storm Gathering
An intermediate paddler and instructor weekend for those seeking one last weekend paddling on the Bay before winter sets in. Together, we'll work through a practical yet informal weekend of sea kayaking with emphasis on rough water conditions, safety/risk management, and skills development.
www.georgianbaystormgathering.com
Oct. 15-17
Traditional Arctic Kayak Symposium (TAKS)
Trinidad, CA
Explore the use of traditional equipment and skills in real conditions on the open coast of California. All curious paddlers are welcome.
Contact: John Petersen Phone: (805) 649-9620 email: petersendesign@roadrunner.com Webpage: www.takscalifornia.com
