Three sprint canoe athletes from Fort Canoe & Kayak Club have been named to Canoe Kayak BC’s Provincial Team.
Abby Charlesworth, Alex Smith and Jeffrey Sun all had podium finishes at the National Sprint Championships, held in Dartmouth NS, this summer.
They are among B.C.’s top 21 sprint and slalom canoe and kayak paddlers recognized by Canoe Kayak BC performance program that supports athletes with the potential to make junior, U23, senior development and national teams, and have also shown a commitment to training to achieve these goals.
As well, five members of the Fort Langley-based club have been selected for the BC NextGen Team which helps athletes develop their skills to be successful at provincial and national levels – Bishan Biln, Eva Jancker, Roxie Bodnar, Terry Igarashi and Zach Smith.
Team members will be invited to training camps and have educational opportunities, as well as receiving training support during the year.
Fort Canoe & Kayak Club Sandra Young said the club was “so proud of our athletes’ achievements.”
“Their hard work has paid off and offers them new opportunities to develop their skills with exceptional coaching and training,” Young commented.
Announced in mid-December, the news capped off a successful year for the club, which reported 2023 marked the first season of programming comparable to pre-pandemic times, with 565 students from local schools participating in field trips, 75 adults and 21 youth in recreational canoe programs, and 162 participants in summer camp programs.
Highlight cited by Young included hosting provincial events at the club in Fort Langley.
In October athletes from across the province attended clinics, a training camp and a provincial regatta, which included Canoe Kayak BC’s fall training camp, the BC Cup long distance regatta and a Women on Water clinic.
The club also hosted provincial athlete testing in early December.
“We set out to maximize our offerings to the public this year,” explained Young.
Fort Canoe and Kayak Club offers recreational and competitive programs for youth and adults, operating from the paddlesport dock on the Bedford Channel in Fort Langley, located on Billy Brown Road, just west of Glover Road behind the Fort Pub.
Access to the facilities is managed by the Bedford Channel Society and users include five community paddle organizations.
Online, the club can be reached at fortcanoekayak.ca or at the “Fort Canoe Kayak Club” Facebook page.
