Author: Erik Ages

2020 WETDASHE CHALLENGE: REGISTRATION NOW OPEN

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Welcome to the Wetdashe 2020 Challenge, an annual race in support of men’s health. Wetdashe 2020 has been adapted this year to respond to COVID-compliance measures unique to each community, region, province and state. Hosted by Victoria’s Fairway Gorge Paddling Club (FGPC), the Wetdashe Challenge is a fun end-of-season outrigger race to challenge solo and cohort paddlers of all ages and abilities.

The 2020 Wetdashe Challenge has been adapted to accommodate the health of athletes and of the general public in different regions. Instead of traditional head-to-head competition, this year’s Wetdashe is COVID-compliant: solo athletes and cohort teams (OC6 & OC12) can race on home waters across western Canada and beyond, wherever public health authorities permit the sport of outrigger in conjunction with physical distancing measures in effect. Registrants, both teams and individuals, will provide their digital race results to FGPC race officials as they’re logged and submitted from November 1 through 30th. Competitors’ results will be averaged across four 3km loops of water available to each region (lakes, rivers and the ocean). A fastest-lap leaderboard will also be published. Any team or individual paddler can participate without the need to travel or congregate beyond the safety of their families and training partners (where cohorts are permitted). Prizes and commemorative high-vis-tech Wetdashe race shirts (size-selected in advance) will be sent to all registrants. Laps must be logged, recorded and submitted over the month of November 2020.

The 2020 Wetdashe Challenge offers added excitement: friends, family and communities can participate by “adding speed” to teams and individual competitors by pledging donations to the BC Cancer Foundation’s Wetdashe Men’s Health Fund. Money raised through supporters’ pledges are directed to the BC Cancer Agency’s research and clinical development of an advanced prostate cancer diagnostic, “PSMA prostate scanning technology.” For every tax-deductible $10 donated through the Wetdashe Men’s Health Fund, a 1-second advantage is added to the score of chosen teams and solo competitors. Please join individuals and athletes and their supporting communities across BC to “make every second count” for men’s health through the work of the BC Cancer Agency.

FOR RULES OF RACING AND TO REGISTER, CLICK HERE

BC Return-To-Sport Guidelines for Crew Outrigger NOW AVAILABLE

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As each jurisdiction and province approaches C0V2 and associated cold-and-flu mitigation over the 2020/2021 winter, Canada is unified in its commitment to public health initiatives designed to minimize individual and collective harm as a result of SARS-C0V-2. Please continue to follow the guidance of local and regional health authorities as they pertain to our sport and to how facilities are managed at this time.

In British Columbia, the fall 2020 introduction of Phase 3 Return-to-Sport now permits the safe and staggered roll-out of “cohort” crew boat training. CORA has worked with viaSport guidance, along with direction from other relevant authorities, to provide BC CORA clubs and paddlers with guidance for the safe re-introduction of crew boat training. CORA’s guidelines are NOW AVAILABLE for clubs and crew paddlers to review as each facility considers compliance and procedures unique to their circumstances. As each BC club considers its phase-3-compliant “cohort” procedures, all BC member clubs and solo paddlers should continue to adhere to phase-1 and phase-2 guidelines presently in place.

CORA’s board of directors is available to respond to the questions of club managers, commodores and leadership volunteers charged with developing their next-step guidelines. BC member club representatives will be contacted over the coming days as they consider phase-3 procedures.

CLICK HERE to download a copy of CORA’s Phase 3 Return-to-Sport Guidelines (PDF)

AUGUST 2020: CORA COVID update for outrigger clubs and paddlers

Erik Ages 1 Comment

As we head into the fall and winter months, clubs and paddlers are preparing for unique versions of solo winter training from coast to coast. From east to west, this may involve variations on a transition of OC1 to dryland fitness as temperatures edge to zero and below. Each jurisdiction and province will be illustrating important approaches to C0V2 and associated cold-and-flu mitigation over the 2020/2021 winter. Please continue to follow the guidance of local health authorities as they pertain to our sport and to how facilities are managed at this time.

In British Columbia, many coastal communities have the option of on-water training year-round. BC’s provincial health authority is in the process of considering proposals for “phase 3” fitness and training activities. In the case of outrigger, this may include the safe and staggered re-introduction of crew boat training. Over the coming weeks, CORA will be working with viaSport and other authorities to provide BC’s CORA clubs and paddlers with guidance about the potential for the safe re-introduction of crew boat training. In light of this potential transition, CORA is committed to communicating with its member clubs promptly and transparently as we engage in the review process over the coming weeks. We will be providing CORA member clubs under BC’s upcoming phase 3 provisions with direct guidance — delivered to club representatives — as it pertains to any new club adaptations, insurance compatibility and specific CoV2 requirements in the event that crew training is permitted to resume. During this investigative and application period, BC member clubs and solo paddlers should continue to adhere to solo guidelines presently in place. We’re working carefully on this potential change, and will keep BC paddlers informed.

The CORA board salutes club and team captains across Canada for taking a unified, respectful and safe approach to the challenges of CoV2 over the 2020 and 2021 years. Although health authorities and associated jurisdictions across the country differ on some details, the outrigger community has navigated the “high road” in league with other organized sports across Canada. Thank you.