Getting started in sprinting is fun. Club races are the best way to get introduced to sprinting. And once you get beyond club races or informal training races, there are usually sprint races the day after the OC6s do their long inter-club races.
Because it is such an intense event, technique is critically important and good coaching can make all the difference between having a successful sprint season and wrecking your back or shoulder and spending the rest of the season sitting on the bank watching others paddle.
Contact your local club executive to find out about sprint racing in your club, and contact CORA to find out where sprint races are being held.