They may have been the only juniors to attend the Canadian Nationals outrigger race, but Penticton’s crew still finished strong.
Placing seventh overall in a field of 16 adult crews — including open crews, novice paddlers and several crews made up of national-level dragon boaters — gave Penticton paddlers a reason to celebrate.
Held at Jericho Sailing Centre on English Bay, the novice/junior race was 11 kilometres along Spanish Banks out into Georgia Straight and return. The junior crew, posting a time of one hour 10 minutes and 56 seconds, consisted of: Walker Singleton, Reece Haberstock, Jessica Broder, Selina Spence, Belize Souch-Tremblay and Liam Mulhall steering. Penticton Junior’s success qualified them for the Canadian Outrigger Race Association (CORA) Cup Junior Trophy for the second year in a row.
Penticton’s mixed outrigger crew was also successful later in the day, finishing first mixed crew and eight overall in a field of 23 men’s and mixed crews. The long course took crews across English Bay, around Passage Island and back for a total of 23 km.
Penticton’s crew finished in two hours five minutes and 56 seconds, less than a minute ahead of Ocean River Paddling Club’s mixed crew, from Victoria.
Boat traffic, tide, swells and a strong head wind on the second half made it a challenge for all the teams with at least one of the crews —top-seeded False Creek Men — capsizing late in the race before righting their boat to remain in 3rd place.
Penticton’s mixed crew consisted of Tyson Bull, Launa Maundrell, Don Mulhall, Brian MacPhail, Jessica Broder and Janelle Parchomchuk steering.
This was their third first-place finish of the season, earning them the Canadian Outrigger Race Association (CORA) Cup Trophy for the third year in a row for top mixed crew.
For more information about outrigger paddling and the Penticton Racing Canoe Club, go to www.pentictonoutrigger.com, email info@pentictonoutrigger.com or call (250) 488-3100.