Vernon crews shine at CORA national event in Fort Langley
The Vernon Paddling Centre made a strong showing at the Canadian Outrigger Racing Association (CORA) National Championships in Fort Langley over the weekend, with 19 paddlers representing the club and multiple teams reaching the podium in both crew and small-boat events.
Saturday’s six-person outrigger races produced notable results for Vernon crews. The women’s 50+ short course saw the team known as the Salty Sisters — Sally Tatlow Kennedy, Holly Wick, Patty Ellis, Janelle Tangjerd Braul, Lynn Algra and Debbie Hunter-Kunz — take first place, completing the 11-kilometre course in 1:10:05.
“The boat lineup might have changed but the goal of hunting down a CORA Cup National Championship never changed,”
That comment came from crew member Ashley Owen, reflecting the ambition behind the crews who competed across the CORA Cup Series. Vernon crews also found success in the men’s and mixed divisions. In the men’s 70+ long course the Paddle Wheelers — Dennis Wick, Kim Dolezsar, Gregg Cancade, Bruce Davidson, Murray Flock and Larry Braul — finished second, clocking 1:47:14.9 over the 21.45-kilometre course and earning a silver in the CORA Cup Series standings.
Vernon’s Randy Brooks was part of the Calgary Iceman crew that won the men’s 70+ long course and the CORA Cup Series, finishing the course in 1:45:03.9. In the mixed open long course, the crew Just A Second — which included Sandy Cook, Jarod Algra, Rick Thrall, Ronnie Thompson, Ashley Owen and Mike Fulham — placed second in the race and secured the CORA Cup Series gold with a time of 1:52:01.06.
Sunday’s small-boat programme further highlighted Vernon paddlers. The OC2 masters 70+ event was topped by a Vernon pair: Dennis Wick and Larry Braul recorded a winning time of 1:18:24.6. Their result also stood out in the overall small-boat field: they were fourth overall out of 57 small paddle boats and one standup paddleboard, and first overall among OC2 entries.
Individually, Vernon’s Bruce Davidson took gold in the OC1 masters 70+ with a time of 1:32:48.3, a testimony to veteran athletes still delivering top performances in single paddler events.
The competitive season and the CORA Cup Series also highlighted the dedication of several Vernon athletes across events and months. Among the Just A Second crew, Ashley Owen and Jarod Algra were the only paddlers to have raced in all three of the CORA Cup Series races for the full season. Other crew members who contributed to the team's season performances at earlier events — Duel in the Desert and Duel in the Desert/July races — included Marcus Boyle, Jennifer Hyde, Jeff Innes, Laurie Fowler, Lotus Iron and Holly Wick.
The club’s presence in multiple divisions — from mixed open crews to masters 70+ small boats — underscores the breadth of Vernon’s paddling community, with athletes competing across age groups and boat classes.
- Participants: 19 Vernon paddlers at CORA Nationals
- Notable victories: Salty Sisters (women’s 50+ short course), OC2 masters 70+ (Wick/Braul), OC1 masters 70+ (Davidson)
- CORA Cup:** Just A Second secured series gold in mixed open division; Paddle Wheelers earned series silver in men’s 70+
Below is a concise summary of key race results involving Vernon athletes at the Fort Langley championships:
| Event | Result | Time |
|---|---|---|
| Women’s 50+ short course (six-person) | Salty Sisters — 1st | 1:10:05 |
| Men’s 70+ long course (six-person) | Paddle Wheelers — 2nd | 1:47:14.9 |
| Men’s 70+ long course (six-person) | Calgary Iceman — 1st (Randy Brooks part of crew) | 1:45:03.9 |
| Mixed open long course (six-person) | Just A Second — 2nd (CORA Cup Series gold) | 1:52:01.06 |
| OC2 masters 70+ | Dennis Wick & Larry Braul — 1st | 1:18:24.6 |
| OC1 masters 70+ | Bruce Davidson — 1st | 1:32:48.3 |
For Vernon, the results are more than medals; they reflect a multi-generational paddling community that trains and competes together, from young open crews to masters athletes in their 70s. The club’s success at the national level could help maintain momentum for local recruitment and community events as Vernon looks to sustain outdoor sport opportunities that blend recreation and high-performance racing.
Organisers and athletes alike will now turn their attention to future CORA Cup events and local programming, buoyed by the national podiums that brought home both gold and silver for Vernon competitors.
