Scheduled Canadian Sea Kayak Races


Deep Cove Race Time: Tuesday nights through the summer starting in April


Location: Deep Cove, North Vancouver, BC Cost: $3


Race Distance: about 5 km Contact: www.deepcovekayak.com


Ecomarine Race Time: Wednesday nights, 6:30 p.m., April 30–August 27


Location: Jericho Sailing Centre, 1300 Discovery Street, Vancouver, BC Cost: $2


Race Distance: about 5 km Contact: www.ecomarine.com


Around Bowen Island Time: early June


Location: Snug Cove, Bowen Island, BC Cost: $40 (single kayak), $75 (double kayak) Race Distance: about 30 km Contact: www.deepcovekayak.com


The Island Iron Time: mid-June Location: Gorge Waterway, Victoria, BC Cost: $15


Race Distance: about 17 km Contact: www.orspaddlingclub.com


BC Marine Trails Association (BCMTA) Ocean Kayak Marathon Time: July 14, 2003


Location: Jericho Sailing Centre, 1300 Discovery Street, Vancouver, BC Cost: $28


Race Distance: 5km or 10km Contact: www.ecomarine.com/adventure/ev_marathon.html


BC Championships Sea Kayak Race (around Gabriola Island) Time: mid-September Location: Gabriola Island, BC Cost: $45


Race Distance: about 20 km Contact: www.gck.ca/kayak_race


The Bridges Race Time: mid-October Location: Gorge Waterway, Victoria, BC Cost: $10


Race Distance: about 5 km Contact: www.orspaddlingclub.com


For more information about kayak racing on Canada's West Coast:


Deep Cove Canoe and Kayak Centre www.deepcov- ekayak.com


Ecomarine Ocean Kayak Centre www.ecomarine.com False Creek Racing Club www.fcrcc.com Ocean River Sports Paddling Club www.orspaddling- club.com


Garibaldi Paddling Sports Club (604) 898-4979.


For information about kayak racing on Canada’s East Coast: Eastern Outdoors www.easternoutdoors.com


races, has been training and racing a high- performance Current Designs Speedster for four years.The 20-foot boat was designed by Olympic double-gold medallist Greg Barton to “take the rough stuff”in the open ocean. At only 18 inches wide, it requires more refined balance than some other racing kayaks—like Necky's Looksha II.The Looksha II is 20 feet long and 20 inches at the beam and is made for racing in big swells on open ocean. “Traditional sea kayaks are great for tour-


ing,” says Norona “but overkill when it comes to racing.More manufacturers are now designing racing boats that are stable enough to be used in open water but don’t have extra features like hatches and bulk- heads that just add weight.” Now the wing-blade paddle—evolved in the mid-80s for sprint, marathon and down- river events—is the latest technology scooped from traditional racing by sea kayakers who have discovered a need for speed. A wing paddle looks like an elongat-


ed scoop and is hydrodynamically designed to perfect the efficiency of a racer's sole obsession—forward paddling.At the expense of other techniques like bracing, wing blades increase forward-stroke efficien- cy by at least four or five percent over con- ventional paddles.That doesn't sound like much until you talk about racing distances of 20 or 30 kilometres. “I never used to see recreational paddlers using things like wing paddles,but more and more I do,”said Norona.“They make sense; they're lighter and force the paddler into a more efficient stroke.” More kayakers now have access to light-


weight racing kayaks and wing paddles through rental facilities and clubs. Both Deep Cove and Ecomarine in Vancouver offer half-price rentals to racers,more than 80 percent of whom rent boats. To accommodate the technological inno-


vations in sea kayak racing, longer races include four boat categories. Kayakers in specialized race kayaks like the Speedster


enter the High Performance (HP) category while a long, narrow sea kayak like the Looksha II competes in the Fast Sea Kayak (FSK) category. Most recreational sea kayaks fit into the Sea Kayak (SK) grouping and all double kayaks are in the Double Kayak (DK) category. These categories were borrowed from U.S. races like the San Juan Challenge in Washington State, a highly popular event that is the model for many Canadian races. Kayak racing was once very specialized,


requiring fine balance and high-tech equip- ment.Now, enthusiasts like Norona see the accessibility of the sport leading people to new technologies that make racing, and sim- ply staying fit,more fun. It's as if kayak rac- ing slowed down so the masses could catch up,and now the sport is picking up the pace again and bringing sea kayakers along for the ride.


Sue Handel is a freelance writer and marketing consultant who kayaks to work from her home on Protection Island in British Columbia. Read about her commute on page 18.


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