CORA News

This message was sent to Member Club contacts, but there are some usual races missing from the applications received so we are posting it here as well.

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Dear CORA club commodores, directors and race directors,

In preparation for CORA’s race sanctioning process for the 2025 race year, we are inviting all CORA clubs to submit their proposed race dates and race formats no later than Friday, 22 November 2024.

For 2025 CORA-sanctioned races, CORA will be implementing the following selection and sanctioning process:

• 22 November 2024 – Preliminary deadline for submission of proposed race details and date. Click here to submit. Once you’ve completed this, your tentative race date will be uploaded to the CORA website race calendar and marked as “unconfirmed.”  All submissions at this stage are proposals and will be treated equally.  There is no guarantee that you will receive your requested race date and all race dates are to be considered movable.
• Late November 2024 – The CORA Race Committee will have identified any conflicts between requested dates and contacted the club contacts so they may come to an amicable resolution among themselves (i.e. revised proposals). Conflicts may include the proposals for the same date or, in the case of CORA Cup races, insufficient separation between races in the CORA Cup series.
• 30 November 2024 – CORA Technical Meeting and AGM. Final approval of 2024 CORA Race Calendar.

Guidelines for applicants:

• Clubs are restricted to three (3) race submissions per race year.
• To minimize conflicts, clubs are encouraged to review other race submissions at the new CORA website race calendar at the above link before making your race submissions to be aware of potential conflicts with other race applications.
• Clubs are encouraged to list alternate dates for their proposed race in the space provided on the submission form ranked by preference (i.e. 1st choice, 2nd choice). The CORA board will consider these alternate dates in resolving conflicts. The submission of an alternate date means that you will accept the alternate date, if chosen by the CORA board, without further consultation with you.
• In some cases, the CORA board may, in its discretion, allow two races on the same day if it is unlikely they would impact each other (i.e. races in different regions, or different format or boat class).
• Race proposals received prior to 22 November 2024 (including those received prior to this notice) will have equal priority over proposals received at a later date.  
• All submissions received after 22 November 2024 will be required to accommodate previously submitted races. The ultimate deadline for 2025 races will be 30 April 2025.

The CORA board, along with paddlers across Canada, look forward to a great year of racing in 2025. Race organizers and race-hosting clubs form a vital part of our sport, past, present and future.

Paddles up!

Canadian Outrigger Racing Association

CORA is hereby issuing an Open Call for Member Clubs to submit 2024 Repair, Maintenance and Equipment (RME) Grant applications.  An “Open Call” means that the “once every 2^nd year” limitation is removed and Member Clubs who received an RME Grant in the preceding year may apply.

The following rules and conditions apply to the 2024 Open Call:

RME Grant Applications must be submitted on-line through the CORA website’s RME Grant application form: https://www.canadianoutrigger.ca/cora-forms/repair-maintenance-and-equipment-grant-application/ .  The eligible expenses for the RME Grants remain the same (see sections 1 and 2 of the Eligibility Criteria on the RME Grant application form). This grant does not apply to the purchase, in whole or in part, of new or used canoes.

The deadline for the submission of 2023 Open Call RME Grant applications is 11:59 pm (Pacific), Sunday, November 24, 2024.

The CORA Board will consider the applications at its pre-AGM board meeting on November 30, 2024 and reserves the right to consider factors other than time/order of receipt (i.e. size of Club, financial need, frequency of previous RME Grants) in awarding grants.  Preference may be given to Member Clubs eligible in 2024 but who have not yet submitted an application.

Up to 10 RME Grants are available and the maximum grant amount remains at $1000.00.

Member Clubs for whom 2024 is their first CORA membership year remain ineligible for an RME Grant until 2025.  Edmonton Dragon Boat Racing Club, Island Brave Canoe Club, Lost Boyz Canoe Club and River Spirit Canoe Club are ineligible in 2024.

Member Clubs who have already received and have been approved to receive a 2024 RME Grant are also ineligible for the 2024 Open Call (i.e. only 1 RME Grant per year).  In 2024, the following Clubs have already received an RME Grant:  Maple Bay OCC, Pacific Reach Paddling Club, Victoria Youth Paddling Club, Comox Valley Canoe Racing Club, Fraser Valley Paddling Club and TSCC Maka Koa Outrigger. 

A CORA club must (a) have paid its CORA Club membership fee, and (b) have at least 6 paid-up individual CORA members (i.e. an OC6 crew) to be considered “in good standing” for the purposes of RME Grant eligibility. 

Successful 2024 Open Call recipients will not be eligible for another RME Grant until 2026 (except through a 2025 Open Call, if applicable).

Neither invoices nor receipts are required with your application, however, successful applicants must submit all receipts (not just invoices) before December 31, 2024. Receipts MUST be dated in 2024.

In your application under “Estimated Expenses”, indicate if your expenses have already been incurred or whether they are future expenses.  In the case of repair work or services, preference will be given to applications for reimbursement of costs already incurred.  In the case of goods or equipment, preference will be given to goods already purchased or to goods that can be reasonably purchased by the end of the year (ie off the shelf items, not customized items). 

If your expenses cannot reasonably be incurred in 2024, you should apply in 2025 for a 2025 RME Grant.

Receipts should name the Member Club to the extent possible (ie excluding retail store cash register receipts).

Payment will be made by e-transfer or by cheque payable to your Club, not individuals.

The CORA Off-the-Water Video Forum Series has resumed this Autumn 2024 with the next up presentation being Canadian Outrigger Hall Of Fame Induction on SUNDAY NOVEMBER 10 ~ 4PM (PACIFIC).

CORA is hosting this online Town Hall presentation for 2024 Hall Of Fame inductees spread across Canada and around the world. Microwave some popcorn, heat up a warm drink, curl up next to the fireplace, and join us this Autumn evening as our Inductees and Guest Speakers share with you some great tales.

This is an opportunity to get to know those individuals who have been recognized this year including Janet Davis, Ron Dickinson, Zoe Norcross-Nu’u, Ron Zander Williams, Laurel Archer, and Bob Stewart who have made significant and exemplary contributions to outrigger canoeing in Canada over their lifetimes as athletes / coaches-builders and as pioneers. Although their histories have been published on the CORA website, their friends and colleagues have personal insights they wish to share.

Guest speakers are being invited and will hopefully include Ian “Pipes” Bolden (Gibsons Paddling Club)Mike Billy Jr. (North Vancouver Canoe Club), Russell Gunner (Club Physio Plus), Jamie Boulding (Strathcona Park Lodge), Amy (Benskin) Leonard (Sea Kayak Guides Alliance BC), Jacinta Sheridan (“Paddlers Without Borders”), Lance Mamiya (Team Pacific Northwest/FreeLance), Lyse Fortin (Comox), Chelsey Brooks Tidmarsh (Sistership Dragon Boat Association), Ashley Barker (Royal Canadian Air Force Search And Rescue), Julio Villareal (Outrigger Canoe Club Cancun), Matt Kelly (Predator Performance Designs), Mike Petryna (Ontario “Hard Rock Miner”), Jim Farintosh (Pickering Dragon Boat Coach), Stephen / Danielle Kala (Mountain Home CC) and several other luminaries.

Topic: CORA Town Hall: Canadian Outrigger Hall Of Fame Induction
Time: Sunday Nov 10, 2024 4:00 PM Pacific Time (US and Canada)