by CONNIE TABBERT
Editor
FORESTERS FALLS — There were paddleboards on the beach, their noses in the water, while others were in their owners hands.
The one minute mark was shouted out and then it was “GO!”
The racers sprinted to the water, which was just a few steps away. Those carrying their paddleboards seemed to get onto them quicker than those who had to bend over, push their paddleboards further into the water and then get on.
All the racers then had to stand up, balance on their paddleboard and using a paddle, complete a prepared circuit. It was supposed to be five kilometres in distance, but ended up being 3.3 kilometres instead.
“I guess I was off in my measuring a bit,” said Dan Gavere, organizer of the 2nd Annual Ottawa River Festival held at OWL Rafting near Foresters Falls last Friday and Saturday.
However, the distance didn’t matter since this was a fun event, not a monetary prize event, he noted.
Relaxing while the competitors were completing the circuit, Mr. Gavere said stand up paddling (SUP) is relatively new. He recalled seeing it for the first time and then telling a friend who lived near the Ottawa River in Ottawa.
“Hey, I think we need to go and try stand up paddling that river, because only a few people I’d heard of has tried to stand up paddling it.
“As soon as I hit the water, I knew this would be a wonderful place to do an event, since I’m involved in other events back in the states, that this would be a great place to bring whitewater stand up paddling to in Canada. And what a great place,” he said.
Mr. Gavere noted there are two elements to SUP. There is the flatwater, which is in very calm water and then whitewater, which is the rapid-like water.
“Whitewater is blessed with the Ottawa River and Whitewater Region is known world-wide amongst all the kayaking circles and many of the rafting circles.
“I’ve been coming here for almost two decades to whitewater kayak. I competed on the USA national freestyle team. I’ve been coming here since the early 90s.
“I’ve always loved the region,” he added. “It has warm water, deep water and easy access. You have all the facilities here. It’s just a beautiful place to come and paddle.”
OWL Rafting was chosen for at least two reasons to host the event, Mr. Gavere said.
The first is because the owners and staff have a strong commitment to the environment and the community, he said. OWL Rafting is also a family friendly spot, he added.
OWL Rafting is also the first business in the Ottawa Valley to embrace SUP, Mr. Gavere noted.
“The van Wijk family, Claudia, Dirk (wife and husband) and Catrina, their daughter, are woven into the cloth of whitewater and sports.
“They are very well respected world-wide for their whitewater endeavours,” he said.
The flatwater event was held on the beach of OWL Rafting while the whitewater event was held at Black Chute, also known as Push Button Rapids, he said.
The flatwater race is a circuit. For this event, they went around a swim dock, between two islands, across the Ottawa River and back, between the two islands again, past the swim dock to a buoy, back to the swim dock and then to shore.
To be determined officially done, they had to cross a line drawn in the sand while still carrying their paddle.
In the flatwater event, the first across the line was Spencer Lacy of Boulder, Colorado. The final racer was Liette Burridge of Pembroke (the only local competitor).
He expected the racers would take anywhere from 30 to 45 minutes to complete. A fast paddler can average about 10 k/hr, he said.
In the whitewater event, Mr. Gavere noted it’s timed and it starts off fairly easy. After each round of the course is completed, competitors are knocked out and the course becomes more technical with more obstacles, he explained.
SUP is for everyone
Mr. Gavere noted there is no age restriction for stand up paddling.
“That’s one of the nice things with stand up paddling,” he said. “It’s a very open sport.
“We’re seeing it grow in a lot of different directions. Whitewater is a new direction. Yoga is becoming very popular. The way the board moves on the water makes the most basic yoga poses more challenging. You are getting a lot of yoga people out onto the boards to try yoga. Then becoming paddlers, because they think, oh, it’s so beautiful, I want to paddle.”
SUP is also a sport whether young or old, male or female, can enjoy, Mr. Gavere said.
“I’ve been kayaking my whole life and it’s typically about a five per cent or below female participation. In SUP, we have up to 60 per cent female participation depending on the region. It’s a very popular with the ladies.”
The older people in society have also taken to this sport as a different type of exercise, Mr. Gavere said.
“It’s like exercise in disguise,” he said. “It’s a fun activity, but it really gives you a great workout from your toes to your nose.”
Every muscle group is exercised and there is good balance work.
“Your whole body is getting touched by exercise when you stand up paddle,” he explained.
For those who enjoy sports as a workout, kayaking is mostly upper body, while running and cycling is mostly lower body. SUP combines the whole body, it’s great for a core workout and it’s low impact, he added.
This is a form of exercise for those who don’t want to be in the gym or pounding the pavement, he said.
“Stand up paddling has become the world’s most popular new sport right now,” Mr. Gavere said.
Growing the Sport
He noted SUP is in its grassroot stages and hopes to see the sport grow.
In the USA there was a $50,000 cash prize last month at an event in Idaho and it was also a component in the pro-mountain games in Colorado.
Mr. Gavere said this can also be a Summer Olympics sport.
“It’s become it’s own thing and for the future of Summer Olympics. I think SUP has as good a chance as any other sport in the world to become the next sport to be added to the Summer Olympics.
“The Summer Olympics needs a new board sport,” he stated, adding, “I hope they’re taking a look at this sport now.”
In the Winter Olympics, there is skier cross and half pipe and snow board stuff, which is more exciting to watch than just the downhill skiing of 10 to 15 years ago, he said.
The Board
Mauricio Di Bartolomeo, of Tuga Paddleboards in Toronto, said stand up paddling is relatively new.
Surfer Laird Hamilton thought of this idea for off-season training for surfers in Hawaii. When there are no waves, how do you train for surfing? Well, Mr. Hamilton created a bigger board and the surfers would paddle with their hands, he explained. Then, it was standing up and using a paddle.
A SUP board is 99 per cent made out of foam, then it’s covered with fibreglass cloth and then an epoxy resin, Mr. Di Bartolomeo explained. The standard size is 10’6” long, 32 inches wide and five inches thick.
The paddle is very light weight, he noted, showing one that weighs less than 800 grams. The paddle needs to be the correct height for the paddler, he said.
The easiest way to measure is to raise your arm above your head and bend your wrist. The paddle should be right at the bend in your wrist, he explained.
To stand up paddle, most people begin on their knees, go up to one knee and then stand, he said.
“It’s incredibly easy to learn and that’s why it’s become so popular, because anyone can do it,” he said. “I’ve had people in the water 60-plus and people in the water who are five.”
Mr. Di Bartolomeo noted that whitewater boards are different, because they are made out of plastic or are inflatable, so they won’t break if they hit a rock.
There are a series of safety measures implemented by the coast guard and different entities who have control over the waterways, he said. Currently for flatwater SUP, each board must have a personal flotation device (PDF) on it, even though the board can float, he said.
In whitewater SUP, a life jacket vest must be worn and there has to be a quick release detachment attached on the back to the board, so if a person falls, the board can be released right away.
There is also the fun part of the event, which is SUP with your pup, he said. And yes, it’s exactly as it says…the paddler’s dog rides on the front of the board.
