Kamloops paddlers fare well in lengthy race
Seventeen canoes lined up in Vernon on Saturday morning (Sept. 17) for the annual Length of the Lake canoe race.
The 100-kilometre race, which is divided into five legs, finished in Penticton.
Kamloops paddlers from the Wailua Outrigger Club and TRIPS Marathon Canoe Club combined in the two-person outrigger division.
The recent unsettled weather patterns made for choppy and challenging conditions with two- to three-foot waves and strong head and cross winds in four of the five legs.
The conditions forced some boats to retire during the race, but Kamloops completed the distance in just over 10 hours, placing third of three in its division.
“The Length of the Lake can be an intimidating race,” local paddler Christopher Nicolson said.
“By the end of the first leg, the boats have spread apart and you can feel very alone in the middle of that big lake with large waves pounding your boat.
“Many of our paddlers were doing this race for the first time and our successful finish has boosted the confidence and skills of our group to a higher level.
“It was a great race for us.”
Paddlers on the team were Lynette Hughes, Trish and Wade Turner, Paul Blackett, Michelle Seibel, Christina Cederlof, Michael and Carla van der Kraats and Anne & Chris Nicolson.
The Thompson Okanagan’s last outrigger race for the year is this weekend on Skaha Lake in Penticton.
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