Ready for racing in 2024? Race organizers, you’re invited to submit next year’s race dates

Dear CORA club commodores, directors and race directors, 

In preparation for CORA’s race sanctioning process for the 2024 race year, we are inviting all CORA clubs to submit their proposed race dates and race formats no later than Friday, November 17th, 2023. 

For 2022 CORA-sanctioned races, CORA will be implementing the following selection and sanctioning process:

  • November 17th, 2023 – Preliminary deadline for submission of proposed race details and date at the following link: CLICK HERE.  Once you’ve completed this, your tentative race date will be uploaded to the CORA website race calendar (CLICK HERE) 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 2023 – The CORA Race Committee will have identified any conflicts between requested dates and contact 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.
  • November 26th, 2023 – CORA Technical Meeting and AGM.  Final approval of 2024 CORA Race Calendar.

Guidelines for applicants:

  • Starting in 2024, 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 November 17th,  2023 (including those received prior to this notice) will have equal priority over proposals received at a later date.  
  • All submissions received after November 17th, 2023 will be required to accommodate previously submitted races. The ultimate deadline for 2024 races will be April 30, 2024. 

The CORA board, along with paddlers across Canada, look forward to a great year of racing in 2024. Race organizers and race-hosting clubs form a vital part of our sport, past, present and future. 

Paddles up!

Board of Directors,
Canadian Outrigger Racing Association

Bridges 2023, Victoria, BC – Oct 21-22, 2023

Join Latitude 48 Paddling Club for Bridges 2023, a fast paced 5km race on the Gorge Waterway in Victoria, BC.

On Saturday, OC6 heats will run throughout the day (9:00am to 3:00pm) with divisions for novices, men, women, mixed and junior crews. Gender and mixed crews will run separately, allowing paddlers to race in multiple divisions. The race goes up the Gorge Waterway, with a turn just before Tillicum narrows to head back to the start/finish line. Canoes for the OC6 race are provided, just bring your crew, paddles and pfd! PFDs must be Canadian Coast Guard Certified.

On Sunday, the small boat Inny Race (short course, protected waters) will run first, followed by the Outty Race (long course). This event is BYOB (that’s right Bring Your Own Boat as they are not provided for the small boat event).

The Inny Race is a 5 km race in protected waters ideal for new racers, marathon canoes and even experience paddlers that want a shorter “sprint” distance. The race goes up the Gorge Waterway, with a turn just before Tillicum narrows to head back to the start/finish line.
The Outty Race is a 12 km race that heads out of the Victoria harbour to run along the island’s coast. There may be course modifications on race day should conditions be too big for most.

CORA Membership is required.

REGISTRATION IS NOW OPEN! Register soon, space is limited!

OC6 Registration: https://www.webscorer.com/register?raceid=328844
OC6 Registration closes: Friday, October 13, 2023 11:59 PM

Small Boats Inny Race Registration: https://www.webscorer.com/register?raceid=328850

Small Boats Outty Race Registration: https://www.webscorer.com/register?raceid=328854
Small Boats Registration closes: Saturday, October 21, 2023 9:00 PM

CORA Town Hall October 2023 – The Wahines In The Boat

CORA Town Hall virtual sessions return in October 2023. CORA members and friends are invited to join our Off-the-Water Video Forum Series. Opportunities for questions will be provided in the latter half of these 90-minute session and through the “chat” function. Presentations will be recorded and posted for those with scheduling conflicts.

The October 2023 CORA Town Hall virtual session has been rescheduled for Sunday Oct-15 at 4PM (Pacific) will feature a reunion of the all-Canadian women’s 1985 Molokai Na Wahine crew that placed 5th overall in that race for one of the best ever showings by an all-Canadian women’s crew in 38 years.

Please join us for a roundtable of what it was like to build an outrigger racing crew in 1985 with Canadian Outrigger Hall Of Famers Ruth Matson and Annie Boulding, Canadian Olympians Sheila Taylor and Joanne Woods, and all of the stellar crew members that CORA has been able to locate including Cathy (Nixon) New, Sheila (Chadwick) Cupp, Kathy Gallagher, Gail Timmer, Janice (Henderson) Kyle, and Diane Chippindale. We are looking forward to a special guest appearance by legendary Molokai Na Wahine Board Member “Auntie” Rosie Lum, with recognition of legendary Waikiki Beach Boy Albert “Rabbit” Kekai, who coached the all-Canadian Womens crew for the 1985 Kaiwi Channel Crossing.

Here is the recording of the engaging roundtable of Canadian Molokai 1985 competitors: