2010 World Outrigger Sprint Championships Noumea, New Caledonia

On Final Day Canada Wins Four More Medals!

2010-05-29T06:48:00.001-07:00

On the final day of racing Canada wins four medals, three gold in Open Womens V6 500 and 1500 metres and Masters Womens 1000 metres and a bronze in Senior Masters Men V6 500 metres. Canada takes home a total of 7 medals at these World Championships: 3 Gold, 1 Silver and 3 Bronze and places 4th overall in the medal standings. Stay tuned over the next few days for additional pictures and video clips of the event.

Senior Masters Men Bronze Medalists V6 500 Metres: Ken Crosby, Gord Wallace, Gord Penn, Al Birtles, Jan Urban and Paul Pilon (stern)

Masters Womens Gold Medalists V6 1000 Metres: Kamini Jain, Leanne Zrum, Sue Porter, Helen Currey, Sheila Kuyper and Cheryl Skribe (stern)

Open Womens Double Gold Medalists V6 500 and 1500 Metres: Kamini Jain, Leanne Zrum, Leanne Stanley, Chelsy Tidemarsh, Helen Currey and Cheryl Skribe (stern)

Canadian Athletes win more medals!!

2010-05-28T03:04:00.000-07:00

Canadian athletes Kamini Jain and Leanne Stanley win medals today for Canada. Kamini wins silver in Masters Womens V1 and Leanne wins bronze in Open Womens V1. Many Canadian teams also progressed to the V6 finals which will taking place during the final day of racing tomorrow.

Kamini Jain silver medalist Women's Masters V1

Kamini heading to start in her V1 final.

Kamini crossing finish line in her Masters Women V1 final.

Leanne Stanley crossing finish in her Open Womens V1 Final

Open Womens Bronze medalist Leanne Stanley

Leanne Stanley

Open Womens medalists

Jan Urban being interview by French TV after 2nd place finish in Senior Masters Mens V6 500 Meter semi-final

Al Birtles in Golden Master V1 final

IVF Representative Donna Harrison and Team Canada Area Coordinator Lynda Roberts.

Sheila Kuyper wins Canada's first medal!

2010-05-27T04:40:00.000-07:00

On day three of racing Sheila Kuyper won Canada's first medal of the games with a bronze finish in the Senior Masters Womens 500 meter V1 event. Congratulations Sheila! Several other Canadian teams and individuals also advanced to semi finals or finals today.

Sheila Kuyper on her way to the start line of the Senior Masters Womens V1 final

Sheila finishing her V1 final

Canadian IVF Representative Donna Harrison presenting Sheila with her bronze medal

The V1 500 meter Senior Masters Women medalists

Leanne Stanley finishing first in her V1 Open Womens semi final

Leanne Zrum

Podium ceremony entertainment

250 Meter turn flags

A young spectator enjoying the games

Second Day of Racing V1 and V12

2010-05-26T23:17:00.000-07:00

V1 and V12 races continued on Day 2. Canada achieved several 4th place finishes but no medals in V12. Several of our V1 paddlers progressed to semis or finals.

Womens Open V12 Canada I

Women's Masters V12 Canada I

Senior Masters Men V12 Canada I

Senior Masters V12 Canada I

Rani Johns

Paul and Sheila discussing race strategy

Helen Currey and Heather Taylor

Gord Wallace

Eclectic Local Coffee Shop

First Day of Racing V1 and V12

2010-05-25T04:22:00.000-07:00

The first day of racing started off with a beautiful sunrise but then over two hours of delays until the first race of the day occurred. Races today were V-1 and V-12 500 meters.

Masters Women V-12

Team Canada Tent

Sunrise

Helen Currey

Golden Masters Women V-12 Canada I Team

Chelsey, Helen and Sheila

Activity ont the race course

Open Men's V-12 Canada I Team

Open Mens V-12 Canada I Team

Blog author captured on film (courtesy Sheila Kuyper)

Athletes Parade and Opening Ceremonies

2010-05-24T01:20:00.000-07:00

Parade of Athletes entering Stadium

Senior and Golden Masters women

Canadian athletes leading the parade

Opening Ceremonies entertainment

Our future

Training Day Two - Sunday May 23

2010-05-23T02:41:00.000-07:00

Started the day with some pretty wicked weather (see video above). Gave us some good experience in the possible rough conditions we may experience on race day. Parade of athletes and opening ceremony postponed until tomorrow although it did clear up in the afternoon.

Local wildlife in our apartment

View of Noumeau and race course from Casa del Sole

The canoes we will be racing including V-12 (second set of canoes in forefront).

Practice Day One - Saturday May 22

2010-05-22T04:15:00.001-07:00

Va'a Blessing Anse Vata Beach 7:30am

2010-05-21T03:28:00.000-07:00

There was a big turn out for the blessing of the va'a (canoes) at 7:30 am this morning including over 25 of the Team Canada athletes already in Noumea. The blessing involved prayers by a local priest and then paddlers from the various countries poured the liquid from a freshly cut coconut on the V6 and V1 canoes. Team Canada athletes Leanne Stanley and Katherine Town participated in the blessing ceremony.

2010-05-05T11:11:00.000-07:00

Only two weeks left until many of us board planes for the long journey to Noumeau, New Caledonia for the IVF World Outrigger Sprint Championships. Over the past several months Team Canada athletes have attended several training camps in Vancouver and have been competing at local sprint races to help prepare us to represent Canada at this World Championship event. Stay tuned for more updates .....