CORA Off-the-Water Video Forum Series

All CORA members and friends are invited to join our regular Off-the-Water Video Forum Series.
For Fall Winter, each month we will host either a Town Hall forum or a Coach Panel forum.

Sessions will be held on Saturdays or Sundays at 4:00 pm (Pacific).

Opportunities for questions will be provided in the latter half of the 90-minute session and through the “chat” function.  The presentation will be recorded and posted for those with scheduling conflicts.

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

Erik Ages Leave a comment

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

DATE: Sunday 29 March 2026
TIME: 4pm-5.45pm Pacific
FORMAT: VIDEO (via Zoom)

ZOOM link: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/89445116696?pwd=JQccbhFbtXMEJqgaWNHdCXRceG7Ny7.1

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

CORA Town Hall – 2025 CORA Hall Of Fame – Sunday, November 9, 2025 4PM Pacific

Graeme Galves Leave a comment

The CORA Off-the-Water Video Forum Series has wrapped up the 2025 year with a collection of speakers and Canadian Outrigger Hall Of Fame inductees, recorded on SUNDAY NOVEMBER 9 ~ 4PM (PACIFIC). Click on the video below to view the Hall of Fame presentation.

Click on the video link below to get to know eight individuals who were recognized this year including Daphne Ann Brockington, Helen Currey, Jacinta Sheridan, James Hill, Jan Chavarie, Linda Daigle, Melanie Conard, and Sue Milligan. Each has made significant contributions to outrigger canoeing in Canada over their lifetimes as athletes and coaches-builders. Their histories have been published on the CORA website, and their friends and colleagues share personal insights in the town hall recording.

Guest speakers include Alan Goto (Sand Point Outrigger Canoe Club), Andrea Dillon (2006 Yukon River Quest / FCRCC), Bob Stewart (Jericho), Bruce Layzell (Suncoast Paddling Club), Carole Fullerton (Jericho), Dr. Emma Cope (Breadner Veterinary Services), Grace Morissette (Lotus), Jesse Balcom (Latitude 48), Kate Zubick (Lotus), Kelsey Siddall (Kelowna), Ken Asano (Lotus), Laura Kelly (Vancouver Island Ladies Field Hockey Association), Laurel Archer (Comox Valley Canoe Racing Club), Pauline Adams (2006 Yukon River Quest / Molokai Na Wahine / FCRCC alumni), Robin Macnair (FCRCC), Ruth Matson (Nanaimo), and Whitney Horstman (Latitude 48).

Topic: CORA Town Hall: Canadian Outrigger Hall Of Fame Induction
LINK below:

CORA Town Hall – Kelowna Paddle Centre Youth Programs – Sunday 19 October 2025 @ 4pm Pacific Time

Graeme Galves Leave a comment

CORA invites you to join our Town Hall on Sunday 2025-Oct-19 at 4PM Pacific 4PM Pacific Time for a forum highlighting Kelowna Paddle Centre (KPC) Youth Programs. Kelowna Paddle Centre has developed youth programs that have seen Kelowna Paddle Centre youth paddlers competing successfully at CORA racing events as well as IVF World Championship events. Kelowna Paddle Centre has events / programs specifically directed toward youths. The Kelowna Paddle Centre Junior Racing Program runs from April through September with a focus on outrigger canoe racing. The Kelowna Paddle Centre Summer Paddling Camps provide a range of paddling activities for children and teens. This forum will be led by various Kelowna Paddle Centre members with topics such as: Programming and Coaching; Funding, Insurance, and Other Logistics; Growing Pains and Challenges. This will be a forum for our audience across Canada to engage with Kelowna Paddle Centre and other clubs who share the vision that youth are the future.

Programming and Coaching:

  • Youth Long-Term Athlete Development (LTAD) and the model developed at KPC (see below)
  • Mental Skills and Performance
  • Staff Training and Core Values
  • Technical Knowledge
  • Coaching Methodology

Funding, Insurance, and Other Logistics:

  • Having a facility and strong local community
  • Staffing considerations including paid vs volunteer coaches
  • Insurance
  • Safety
  • Bottlenecks and Thresholds
  • Budgeting

Growing Pains and Challenges:

  • Importance of trial and error
  • Paddler feedback
  • Parent feedback
  • Conflict management

This is an opportunity for clubs that already have in place or are building a youth outrigger canoeing program, to share insights, put forward questions, and communicate what resources would be beneficial to youth outrigger canoeing programs for the 2026 season.