Author: Erik Ages

Canadian Sprint Nationals registration: NEW REGISTRATION SPOTS OPEN for women’s, men’s and mixed crews

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Canadian 2026 Outrigger National Sprint Championships – NEW CREW SPOTS OPEN FOR WOMEN, MEN & MIXED (registration closes 12 April)

APRIL 2026 UPDATE – WAITLISTING IS NOW GONE. The following crew-boat registrations are now open to the public: 2 adult women’s crews and 1 junior women’s crew; 2 men’s crews and 2 junior men’s crews; 2 adult mixed crews and 1 junior mixed crew. CLICK HERE to register your crew. Note that registration closes on 18 April. The race grid will now accommodate two 1000M races for each team. OC6 teams will be allowed to roster 7 paddlers for each team, and may rotate those 7 paddlers through their race crews as they see fit. This is intended to address potential conflicts created by double rostered paddlers, allow teams to test seat configurations in a race environment and allow spares to race. All 7 rostered paddlers must have CORA membership (annual or day fee).

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This is your opportunity to register yourself and/or your OC6 team for the Canadian 2026 Outrigger National Sprints Championships. This national racing event will take place on Burnaby Lake at the Burnaby Lake Pavilion in Burnaby, BC on Saturday and Sunday 9-10 May 2026.

Crew races will take place in CORA-club-supplied Bradley OC6s; solo athletes will race in CORA-supplied V1s. All registered crew and solo athletes will have the opportunity to race 500M 3 times, from qualifying heats through semi-finals and finals. The race grid will accommodate two 1000M races for each team. Age divisions may be consolidated for heats and prizing based on registrations received.

Preliminary race schedule (subject to change):

Saturday May 9, 2026 – 9:00am – 6:00pm

  • Saturday morning – V1 500M heats and finals
  • Saturday afternoon – V6 500M heats

Sunday May 10, 2026 – 9:00am – 5:00pm

  • Sunday morning – V6 1000M heats
  • Sunday afternoon – V6 1000M finals and 500M finals


REGISTRATION is OPEN; CLICK HERE to register your crew or yourself (as a solo v1 athlete). An email notice has been sent to all registered members of CORA with this same link for Sprints registration. Please ensure that you purchase only ONE crew registration for each team.

CORA TOWN HALL: Outrigger Race Planning and Management (a master class on how to host great races)

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Sunday 29 March 2026 | 4:00pm-5:45pm Pacific
VIDEO Town Hall (via Zoom)

DATE: Sunday 29 March 2026
TIME: 4pm-5.45pm Pacific

For new and experienced outrigger race directors, planners and volunteers who want to improve the benefits, safety and quality of outrigger races in Canada.

This session will:

  • Share operational frameworks, including equipment and software, from manual to fully automated
  • Discuss race economics
  • Review safety standards and risk management
  • Creative race development
  • Consider institutional memory & leadership/volunteer fatigue
  • Discuss how to promote races among locals, visitors and sponsors

1. Economics of a Race: Erik Ages (CORA & FGPC / Victoria)

  • Budget architecture (fixed vs variable costs)
  • Cashflow timing risks
  • Revenue streams:
    • Entry fees
    • Sponsorships
    • Grants
    • Merchandise
  • Hardware investments:
    • Timing systems
    • Safety boats
    • Course markers
    • Radios / comms
  • Insurance, sanctioning, municipal permits
  • The Volunteer vs Paid Expertise Dilemma:
    • When to pay (professionalize)?
    • Cost–benefit analysis
    • Burnout risk
  • Day-of-race workflow control

Deliverable: Provide sample high-level race budget template post-session.

2. Operations & Registrations: Paul Barton (FGPC / Vancouver)

  • Advancement systems for head races vs heat formats
  • Registration systems
  • Payment platforms
  • Data management
  • Refund policies

Focus: maximizing credibility; minimizing friction and financial risks

3. Safety & Risk Management: Jan Chavarie (Jericho / Vancouver)

  • Race-day safety planning
  • Water safety ratios
  • Weather decision-making thresholds
  • Incident command structures
  • Near-miss learnings
  • Tragic outcome lessons and duty of care

Goal: Normalize conservative decision-making without stigma.
Deliverable: High-level safety checklist template.

4. Promotion & Growth: Bethany Yam (CORA / Toronto)

  • Marketing race value proposition
  • Building returning participation
  • Social media amplification
  • Sponsorship activation
  • Regional branding

Goal: Shift from “event” to “annual institution.”

5. Q&A

FGPC Kan U Hakit: 1500m OC6 / 500m (Saturday 15 March) OC1 / V1 (Sunday 16 March)

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Kan-U-Hakit spots (OC6 / OC1 / V1) spots now 50% sold; all boats supplied.

FGPC Kan-U-Hakit takes place at the Fairway Gorge Paddling Club (FGPC) along the Selkirk Waterfront in Victoria. The OC6 race (Saturday 14 March) is a 1,500m sprint on a 500m course, requiring 2 buoy turns. Evenly spaced buoy markers near the Bay Street Bridge (start line) and at the FGPC (finish line) will be set out in each lane. Each race will consists of three boats in three lanes.

V1 and OC1 races (Sunday 15 March) are held on the same 500m course as a straight-shot 500m lane race with advancements. Evenly spaced buoy markers near the Bay Street Bridge (start line) and FGPC’s docks (finish line) frame the straight shot race course (no buoy turns). Each race will consists of three boats across three lanes. Note: V1 and OC1 boats are supplied (Fai V1s and Ares and/or Draco OC1s). Note that athletes must race in boats supplied by FGPC in order to ensure fair racing.

Registration is OPEN (approximately 50% of spots have now been sold). CLICK HERE for more information and to register.