On Thursday, the winners of the 2009 Thursdays of Thunder Masters sprint paddling series were recognized.
Men's OC-1
1st: Brian Saunderson
2nd: Ian Whitton
3rd: Doug Linton

Women's OC-1
1st: Christine Linton
2nd: Leslie Whitton
3rd: Kelly Dory

Men's K-1
1st: Mark Shouldice
2nd: Brian Saunderson
3rd: Ian Whitton

Women's K-1
1st: Kelly Dory
2nd: Christine Linton
3rd: Leslie Whitton

Men's C-1
1st: Brian Saunderson
2nd: Doug Linton
3rd: John Carswell

Labels: Thursdays of Thunder

IN PRAGUE: Three members of the Collingwood Dragon Boat & Canoe Club returned to Canada last week loaded down with gold from the world dragon boat championships.Anne Baker, Christine Linton, and Leslie Whitton each earned four gold medals as members of the Canadian Senior Women's dragon boat team during the competition in Prague, which wrapped up last Sunday. The team won gold in the 2,000, 1,000, 200, and 500-metre races.Baker also earned a gold medal as a member of the Canadian Senior mixed crew which won gold in the 2,000-metre, and Linton won gold as a member of the Seniors' crew in the 200-metre competition.
This was the second trip to the world dragon boat championships for the three women; in 2007, they were part of the Canadian Senior Women's crew that headed to Sydney.
"The club is extremely proud and excited by the performances of Anne, Christine, and Leslie," said club president Brian Saunderson. "They were richly deserved, as we watched their hard work and preparation for this year's worlds."

IN SHERBROOKE: Six members of the club - Scoop, Brian Saunderson, Mark Shouldice, John Carswell, Nancy Moorcroft and Kelly Dory - headed to Quebec on the long weekend for the Canoe-Kayak Canada CanMas masters paddling competition. Club newcomer Mark Shouldice carried on the club's tradition of novice kayaking excellence, earning gold in the 35-44 age category, and bronze in the 25-34 age category. In the mixed K-4 event, Dory and Saunderson joined members of the Cascades to pick up a silver.
While I'm still waiting for final point totals, it's fair to say the Collingwood results were impressive given the small contingent of paddlers. More Collingwood results will be posted to the club's website in the coming days, along with pics...

IN COLLINGWOOD: The club's first ever WOD regatta, while sparsely attended, still can be regarded as a success. The club proved it had the 'clean' water and ability to set up a proper 500-metre, six-lane course, and the organizational capability to handle a larger event. The WOD representative who attended and acted as starter, Sandy Bell, generally had very good things to say about our regatta, and there were some good lessons learned by the organizing committee that can be put forward for next year.

THURSDAYS OF THUNDER: Thanks to everyone who came out and competed over the eight weeks. This year we had great conditions for the most part, and only one T of T needed to be postponed to another Thursday because of weather. The results have been tabulated using a complex mathematical formula, and the winners have been determined. Everyone is invited to the T of T season-ending barbecue, Sept. 17 at 6 p.m. at the boathouse for the 'medal' presentations and the awarding of the official T of T trophies (right now on display on the awards shelf in the boathouse), as well as some socializing...

IN TORONTO: Good luck to the CDBCC Sidelaunchers, as they head down to Toronto this weekend to compete in the annual Great White North Dragon Boat Challenge. Just a note: on Saturday, CKC is holding its annual Mazda Knockout Challenge at Ontario Place - which will mean parking will be at a premium (as in very, very sparse) at Ontario Place and the Exhibition Grounds. The team's first race is at 11 a.m., and while it's usually recommended to be in the team's compound about 90 minutes prior to racetime, it might be recommended to come even earlier in order to grab a parking space. On a brighter note, however, the Mazda Knockout should provide some great spectating between dragon boat races, as some of the best canoe and kayak paddlers in Canada (and internationally) will be racing, including Adam Van Koeverden.

Leading into week four, this is the unofficial ranking for Thursdays of Thunder master paddling series:

OC-1 Men
1 - Brian Saunderson
2 - Ian Whitton
3 - Doug Linton
4 - Ian Adams
5 - Mark Shouldice
6 - James Haney

OC-1 Women
1 - Christine Linton
2 - Leslie Whitton
3 - Linda Findlay
4 - Samantha Katerji
5 - Janet Adams

K-1 Men
1 - Brian Saunderson
2 - Mark Shouldice
3 - Ian Whitton
4 - James Haney
5 - Doug Linton

K-1 Women
1 - Christine Linton
2 - Leslie Whitton
3 - Linda Findlay
4 - Nancy Moorcroft
5 - Janet Adams

C-1 Men
1 - Brian Saunderson
2 - Doug Linton
3 - Ian Adams

15 km racers: Mens Kayak - Brian Heath (1st), Ron Coulson (2nd)
Womens Kayak – Iris Schmidt
Mens OC – Brian Saunderson
Womens OC – Allison Penn
Mixed OC-2 - Rob & Estella Prosser (1st), Mike Fekete & Beryl Green (2nd)
5 km racers: Mens OC – Alex Vandenham (1st), Bill Ford (2nd), Kevin Morris (3rd), Ian Adams (4th)
Womens OC – Leslie Whitton

Summer is in full swing, and things are pretty busy down at the boathouse; so busy, in fact, that I just haven't had the chance to sit down and bang out this month's edition of The Paddler.
However, there are still a number of things to update you folks on.

Paddle Camp: This week is the first week of our popular Paddle Camp for kids, and it appears as though we have a great group of kids for the first week. If you haven't already, be sure to enroll your child for a fun and exciting week on the water, as spots tend to fill up fast. Please note: there is no Paddle Camp the week of Aug. 5 due to the Wakestock event happening in the harbour. For more info on the camp, contact Doug Linton at dflinton@bmts.com...

Equipment: If you've been down to the boathouse lately, you may have noticed some new boats. Thanks to a grant from the Village at Blue Mountain Foundation, the club has been able to purchase five new boats: three stable kayaks that are accessible for all members of the club, and two Hody OC-1s, which should come in especially handy with the kids program - though the boats can be paddled by anyone!

July 19 OC Race: The club is hosting its first outrigger race on July 19. There are two races: a 17.5 km , and a five-km, bothl start from the historic Collingwood Harbour. The race will start at 10 a.m., with registration at the boathouse starting at 8:30. Race fee is $25 for the 17.5 k, or $10 for the five-k - includes post race barbecue. Categories include men's and women's OC-1, OC-2 and mixed OC-2. For more information contact Brian Saunderson at bsaunderson@christiecummings.com...

Aug. 22 Sprint Regatta: The club is also preparing to host its first WOD-level sprint regatta on Aug. 22, and we'll be needing volunteers for both this and the July 19 race. If you'd like to help out, contact Brian or myself...

High School Dragon Boat Team: Do you have a high-school-aged youth? The CDBCC is organizing a high school dragon boat team, to practice late Wednesday afternoons until Aug. 12. The cost is just $35, plus a $50 add-on if you would also like to participate in the club's open paddle sessions on Sunday afternoon, and Tuesday and Thursday evenings. For more information, contact Christine Linton at calinton@bmts.com...

Thursdays of Thunder: Thursdays of Thunder, the weekly Masters paddling race series, starts this Thursday at 6 p.m. Races in C-1 and C-2, K-1, and OC-1 in mens and womens categories. This year, the race fee is a toonie per night, and the races will be run every Thursday until the last week of August. Challenge your fellow club members in a friendly night of competition on the road to glory and fame (well, at the club, anyway). For more information on this program, feel free to contact me...

Harbourlands: Nothing new to report on the Harbourlands project; the engineer is still working on the third draft. More info will go out to club members as soon as something is presented.

June 28 Open House & Barbecue: Thanks to everyone who came out; it looked like we had quite the turnout, with a lot of folks enjoying the boats. Special thanks to Ian and Leslie Whitton for supplying the hamburgers and hotdogs for the barbecue.

Sidelauncher coach Chris Linton submitted a letter to the editor, published in Friday's Enterprise-Bulletin:

HARBOUR PLANS DON'T MAKE ENOUGH ALLOWANCES FOR ALL HARBOUR USERS
Re: Harbour plan goes for public input I wonder how many citizens of Collingwood and area have really thought about what it will be like to have a parking lot for boats in our harbour.

As an area resident, an athlete, a coach and a mother, I am alarmed about the plans for the harbour. Over the last few years, our once industrial harbour has been cleaned up and is now enjoyed by many people for many uses. I am worried that it will become not only boater-centric, as stated in your recent article, but exclusively set up for motorized boats.

My family and I are members of the Collingwood Dragon Boat and Canoe Club. Although I grew up in the area, it wasn't until a few years ago that I began to get out on the water.

Now I and my family paddle dragon boat, outrigger canoe and kayak. Our club has a burgeoning kids program, offering war canoe, flatwater paddling and dragonboat. Other communities in Ontario like Mississauga and Sudbury have thriving canoe clubs with a rich history that have produced Olympians like kayaker Adam Van Koeverden.
Collingwood has a similar jewel developing in our very own harbour.

But that is now threatened by a plan to rapidly introduce almost 200 new boat slips, which would dramatically affect the potential for shared use. The plan has made allowance for non-motorized boats to use the west side of the harbour, which frankly isn't realistic (there is nowhere to put our facilities and no potential to move the restored Watts Boathouse, our clubhouse, to that side of the harbour). This would mean crossing potentially busy boat lanes to get to our designated area. I can tell you this could mean the end of our kids' programs; as a mother I would never send my children out in a kayak to cross through lanes of motor boats.

I am concerned that your article gave significant air time to one spectator from the open house, someone who may have meant well but whose ideas just are not feasible.
Don't get me wrong -- it's not that motorboats and non-motorized boats can't coexist. Our club has made suggestions to the Harbourlands Committee that would see minor alterations to improve safety and to promote sustainable shared use.

I urge council to carefully consider how changes to the harbour can be implemented without jeopardizing the potential of what our club, the rowing club and the sailing school have to offer the community.

Don't it always seem to go...that you don't know what you got 'til it's gone?

CHRIS LINTON
Nottawa

Four members of the Collingwood Dragon Boat & Canoe Club headed to Mississauga on Saturday for MCC's annual Home Regatta.
Scoop, Commodore Brian and J.C. took part in C-1 races (only J.C. stayed dry!), and Nancy Moorcroft took to the water in the K-1; she also lept in the K-2 with a member of the West Rouge team.
Brian and J.C. also hopped in the C-2 - but were late to the starting line and ended up paddling about 300 metres rather than just the 200-metre course. In the K-2, Brian and Bill Trayling did make it to the start line (just in time!), and were able to cross the finish line mostly dry!
All-in-all the four say it was an excellent experience, and gave some insight for when the club runs its own regatta on Aug. 22.