Regatta Information

Regattas/Competitions 

                                             2013 Regatta Schedule
                                                         FINAL

From mid-June on, paddlers are involved in regattas held on most Saturdays, sometimes on Saturdays and Sundays, culminating with the CKC National Championships in late August. Races are 200m; 500m; 1000m in length. They are organized by age groups, with men competing against men and ladies competing against ladies in kayaks or canoes in K-1s; K-2s; K-4s; C-1s; C-2s; C-4s; and war canoes. The following shows the structure of Sprint Canoe/Kayak Racing competition categories under Canoe Kayak Canada.

Competition Categories  

Paddlers should discuss with their coach which regattas they will be able to attend.  With this information, the coach can confirm which age groups will attend which regattas and plan crew entries.  Paddlers should strive to make sure they attend all regattas for which they indicated they were available.  Absences can disrupt crews with which a paddler has been training and may even mean a full crew is not available and the entry must be scratched.  Such a situation is disappointing and frustrating for fellow paddlers and coaches.  Please let one of the coaches know as soon as possible if any new plans interfere with regatta attendance.

Wherever possible, parents are expected to attend out of town regattas to supervise their paddler(s) (under age 19).  Where this is not possible, prior arrangements must be made so that a guardian is appointed and held responsible for a paddler and the coach(s) is informed of the arrangements.  We encourage the families of our paddlers to join the Club contingent at as many regattas as possible.  The events and locales make for an enjoyable family vacation or a day’s outing and our paddlers need all the supporters possible to cheer them on.  It is also an excellent way to meet other paddlers and their families.

Regatta Guide for New Paddlers

This Guide will tell you what to expect at your first regatta.

Regional Inter-Club Regattas

Paddlers compete locally against other clubs in the WOD Division at regional inter-club regattas held on most Saturdays from mid-June to mid-August. The other clubs include Burloak, Mississauga, Richmond Hill, West Rouge, Toronto Island, Collingwood, South Niagara and London. Please see the regatta schedule for details. Clubs attending these regattas compete for points to determine the winner of the particular regatta (for the "burgee"), but there is no ongoing accumulation of club standings or performance requirements to qualify for subsequent competitions.

WOD Qualifying Trials

WOD qualifying trials serve as qualifying races for Provincial and National Championship regattas. Only paddlers and crews that have shown competitive potential would be entered at this level. Trials are held locally. Please refer to the regatta schedule for details as to where and when each age category's trials will be held.

For PeeWees and Bantams competing at WOD trials, the first three winning boats in each final race qualify to compete at the Trillium Championships and the first four winning boats in the Bantam category qualify to compete at the Ontario Championships.

For Midgets to Juniors competing at WOD trials, the first four winning boats in each final race qualify to compete at the National Championships and, again, the first four winning boats in each of these age categories qualify to compete at the Ontario Championships.

Ontario Championships

The first four winning boats in a final race at the WOD trials (Bantam to Junior) will compete at the Ontario Championships. This regatta is held at a venue in Ontario and this year will be held in Sudbury.

Ontario Cup Racing Series

This is a series of three races for Ontario Development Athletes.  The racing series will include one long distance race at the beginning of the season, followed by two sprint events during the season.  Athletes will be awarded medals at all the Ontario cup events for finishing top 3 in their category and accumulate Cup points throught all three events that go towards the overall Ontario Cup category winners at the end of the season.  In addition, the club that has accumulated the most Ontario Cup points over the season will be awarded the overall trophy.  Racing categories will not be based on the CKC age categories, but rather by speed.

Trillium Championships

The first four winning boats in a final race at the WOD trials (Bantam to Junior) will compete at the Ontario Championships.  This regatta is held at a venue in Ontario and this year will be held in Sudbury.

Ontario Team and National Team Trials

The Club’s High Performance athletes will attend regattas (team trials) that will earn them points that in turn may put them on the Ontario and National Teams.

National Championships

The first three winning boats in a final race at the WOD trials (Midget to Junior) will compete at the National Championships.  Clubs attend from all over the country.  In the past the Nationals have been held in Dartmouth; Montreal; Regina; Welland; and this year will be held in Regina, Saskatchewan.  There are no PeeWee or Bantam events at the Nationals; but a Bantam age paddler will often race “up” in an older category and qualify to race in that category, i.e.  a Midget war canoe crew would often include a few Bantam age paddlers.

Masters Regattas

Masters events are scheduled in some of the WOD club regattas but they are “exhibition” races and may not be counted in the accumulation of points for the regatta “burgee”.  There are regattas that are specific to masters, for example –
CANMAS (Canadian Masters Championships) is scheduled for the Sunday following the Nationals, and is a regatta open to anyone who is a member of CKC or the American Canoe Association.  Masters competing at the Nationals can also take part in CANMAS providing they meet certain requirements.

March Break Training – Florida

Just a brief mention here of the March Break training camp(s) that is available to our more dedicated paddlers.  The Head Coach may suggest to certain paddlers who have maintained their training over the fall and winter months, that they attend a Florida training camp.  The cost of this trip is the responsibility of the paddler.  Efforts are made to provide information on such camp(s) before the end of November