Valerie G. Barnes Connell Jordan
Northern Advocate
Paddlers hit the water for the 30th annual Eagle Point Classic canoe race on Saturday, Aug. 24.
Seven teams competed in the longer 17.75 km race, while six teams competed in the shorter 7-km race.
“Although we had light rain at the start, the weather was good for racing,” Sid Robinson wrote on the club’s Facebook page. “Some bigger waves in the Campbell Channel caused a couple of the light race shells to tip part way through the longer raise, but with some safety boat help, all paddlers made it to the finish line in good time and good spirits.”
La Ronge paddlers were joined by others from Saskatoon and Prince Albert. Morgan McKenzie and Karlon Lyons, both 14, were the youngest paddlers in the 17.75 race, while sisters Serenity and Alina Mack, (16 and 14 respectively), counted as the youngest team an in the 7-km race and Lauren Putz (10) was the youngest paddler also in the 7-km race.
Finals results for the 17.75 race: 1. Lori Mack and Trevor Robinson; 2. Eddy Risseeuw & and Nichole Golden, Saskatoon; 3. Ragnar Robinson and Sid Robinson; 4. Bill Jeffery and Scott Kurytnik, Prince Albert; 5. Matt Mazurik and Rochelle Yelland, La Ronge; 6 Karlon Lyons and Dave Brundage, La Ronge; and 7. Norman McKenzie and Morgan McKenzie, La Ronge.
Final results for the 7-km race: 1. Tyler Joorisity and Sukhchain Singh, La Ronge; 2. Nathan Forester and Morgan Layton, La Ronge; 3. Catriona Kaiser-Derrick and Brady Knight, Saskatoon; 4. Erin Layton and Lauren Putz, La Ronge; 5. Melanie Mack and Elise Burgert, Air Ronge/La Ronge; and 6. Serenity Mack and Alina Mack, Air Ronge.
The Canoe Club, one of only three Marathon Canoe clubs in the province, has been growing in several directions, Warren Kelly, the club’s president, said in an interview with the Northern Advocate.
Erin Layton took over membership and has encouraged people to come and enjoy canoeing over the summer months. The membership is up to approximately 50, Kelly said.
“She’s revitalized it (the club). … the membership is up.”
Kelly said he’s happy to see younger people taking some leadership in the club.
He also said, Dave Brundage, who was a founding member of the club and left for a time. He has returned about a year ago.
“We’re a Marathon Club, but a lot of times we didn’t use the Marathon racing canoes, but he’s got people using the Marathon racing canoes, which, if you go onto race and don’t use a Marathon racing canoe, you’re probably not going to do that well,” Kelly said, adding that the club is in the process of purchasing two more Marathon canoes.
Two of the younger club members are distinguishing themselves in the canoeing world, Karlon Lyons and Morgan McKenzie.
“Last year she (McKenzie) went to the NAIG, Northern American Indigenous Games in Dartmouth, N.S. and this year, she did very well in the Tony Cote First Nation Games in La Ronge. She also went to the Saskatchewan Summer Games in canoeing and did very well,” Kelly said.
Although he was unable to be at the Challenge this year, Kelly said, the turnout was very good and the Marathon canoes were used in that event, “although it was quite rough.”
Kelly has also been on the provincial board of Canoe Kayak Saskatchewan, for the past year-and-a-half.
“It’s a provincial sports body,” he said, adding that it gives the club an opportunity to have some influence and input on provincial policies.
It also enhances the point for the club, which means they are eligible for a larger grant.
“But the main things is, you’re supporting marathon canoeing in the province,” he added.
Canoe Kayak Saskatchewan has different divisions such as, sprint, recreational, white water, and Marathon.
Throughout the summer months, the club hosts the annual Wednesday sprint race night and recreational canoeing and lessons on Thursdays.
Those will probably continue into the fall months as long as the weather lasts, Kelly said.
