Khoam Pham and event organiser Mike Yee.
The result was, at best, comical. It was clear that being the “National Open Boat Slalom Champion” did not necessarily mean beating out other
competitors.It meant beating out other American paddlers. And it wasn’t enough to be part of a half- Canadian, half-American team; you had to be pure. Unfortunately for the ACA organizers, those pesky Canadian paddlers kept winning. An embarrassed fifth-place tandem team from the U.S.was called up to stand in line with the bronze, sil- ver and gold medalists in their class to be proclaimed “National Champions”and awarded a special
medal.As one America racer said later: “I love this country; you can paddle like shit, and still get a medal!”Oh, Canada.
The end (until next year) What makes this race unique and especially fun does not
involve rules, politics, or exceptional displays of athletic prowess. Boaters come to the OC Nationals to test their skills, but they also come, and keep coming, for other reasons. The gathering of like-minded companions, the campground ambiance,and a chance for a good road trip are the heart of this event.
Race Results:
http://users.vianet.ca/~pinegrov/
—Fiona Hough is a freelance writer and educator with an irrational obsession with small, stubby open boats. Though she spends most of her time emptying out in eddies, she still finds the energy to make it to the end of the river.
2002 winter 35
photos from left: Fred Lum, Rick Matthews, Rick Matthews.
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