Author: Graeme Galves

Borders are open, vaccines are available, gathering / travel restrictions are lifting, and canoe racing is returning.

CORA would like to offer you an uplifting “Fireside Chat” with Mr. Boy Chun Fook – former PNWORCA Chairman, small-boat / sprints regatta / long-distance OC event organizer, founding member of Kikaha O Ke Kai of Tacoma WA, frequent visitor to CORA events – to get you in the spirit for a return to in-person racing as we are all “Jonesing” to see fellow paddlers once again.

Cozy up to the speakers with a beverage of your choice as Boy Chun Fook chats in Part 1 of 2 and Part 2 of 2 with Bellevue WA radio station KBCS (Hawaii Radio Connection) hosts Braddah Gomes and Auntie Ala, as they discuss the many challenges that event organizers have faced with hosting events during COVID, the weather dynamics that make The Gorge a surfing destination known around the world, and the spiritual healing benefits of being able to drive a few hours to The Gorge for a surfing escape away from COVID.

Browse the playlists and enjoy the unique sounds that evoke a tropical island paradise for your ears brought to you every Saturday for two hours by Hawaii Radio Connection.

CORA will be hosting a virtual small-boat event to replace the canceled PNWORCA Jericho Winter Series event #2. This event has been co-sanctioned by CORA and PNWORCA. This is an opportunity for you to earn PNWORCA Winter Series points in your Age / Gender / Boat Division, earn PNWORCA Winter Series points towards Peter Forand Masters Challenge Trophy (OC1 Masters), and earn some Swag for “creativity”.

CORA offers this virtual small-boat event as a training opportunity for upcoming 2022 in-person small-boat and big-boat events. Please be kind, be calm, be safe. Have / wear a PFD and leash, and paddle with someone else if possible, practicing social distancing.

Participation Rules:

• Register for one and only one Age / Gender / Boat / Distance Division

• Make online event payment ($15 CAD Adults; $10 CAD Juniors) with Registration (OPEN NOW!)

• Provide proof of CORA Annual / Day Membership (CAD) by close of event

• Submit completed CORA Adult Event Waiver or CORA Youth Event Waiver with Registration

• Submit virtual race results at CORA Inbox by 11PM Pacific Time Sunday 20-Feb-2022

• Complete long (10-12KM) or short (5-6KM) course anytime from 7AM / sunrise (your time) Saturday 12-Feb-2022 through 5PM / sunset (your time) Sunday 20-Feb-2022

• Long / short course must start / finish at same point and must consist of 1 or more circuits of a course (circular; triangle; figure-eight; etc.) around 1 or more stationary objects (buoys; pylons; barges; moored boats; bridges; rocks; islands; etc.)

Recognition Rules:

• Points (long course only) will be awarded in accordance with PNWORCA Winter Series rules (Within Division 1st=5; 2nd=4; 3rd=3; 4th=2; 5th=1; 6th & onwards=0)

• CORA has Swag remaining from the CORA 2021 Winter & Spring Virtual Races (Thank you to our merchandise sponsors – Predator / XS Unified & Oddball Workshop). This Swag will be awarded to participants in long / short course who submit a visual (Garmin; https://www.gmap-pedometer.com/; etc.) of their “creative” course. Course “creativity” will be assessed by CORA Race Committee and Swag distributed on a best-efforts basis.

 

Please note that PNWORCA Mountain Home Winter Series event #3 will also be virtual.

The purpose of the Hugh Town Memorial Builder Award is to recognize volunteers who have made significant and exemplary contributions to the Outrigger Canoe Racing Discipline of Canadian Outrigger Racing Association (“CORA”) within Canada in the Builder Category.

The CORA Board has approved Policy and Procedure relating to selection and awarding and administering the Award as per the Hugh Town Memorial Builder Award Policy.

The Hugh Town Memorial Builder Award is awarded after the CORA AGM. The CORA Board has reviewed nominations received for the past season and has recognized Don Mulhall of Penticton Racing Canoe Club as the 2021 recipient of the Hugh Town Memorial Builder Award.

Don Mulhall has a 25-year legacy of selfless volunteer effort to paddlesports in general and outrigger canoe racing in particular. He has made contributions to support Canadian paddlers at the international, national, provincial, and club level. He has been part of the Penticton Racing Canoe Club (PRCC) that has hosted the popular Penticton Duel In The Desert, Length Of The Lake Ultra-Distance, Okanagan Small-Boat Racing Series, Skaha Downwind event, Channel Parkway small-boat event and Penticton Dragon Boat Festival. He has served both on the Penticton Racing Canoe Club Executive continuously from 1999-2021 and on the CORA Board from 2017-2019.

CORA was finally able to have a Hugh Town Memorial Builder Award photo-op on a gorgeous afternoon in September 2021 at Barnet Marine Park between Lotus Poker Paddle heats with CORA Chairman (Ron Chin) making the presentation to Grace Morissette (2019 Recipient) with the Indian Arm backdrop in the distance.

      

CORA made best efforts through travel restrictions and wildfires and atmospheric rivers to have a Hugh Town Memorial Builder Award photo-op and presentation with Drew Mitchell (2020 Recipient) in the Okanagan, but this may need to wait until early 2022.

 

For more information about the Hugh Town Memorial Builder Award, CLICK HERE