Flatwater team ends season with a bang, qualifies for seven finals at first club competition

A small group of Yukon Canoe and Kayak Club athletes attended their first club regatta last weekend.

Coached by Daniel Girouard, Danni and Cole Wilkie-Hobus, Julianne and Joel Girouard and Rogan Parry competed at the B.C. Championships and the Pacific Cup in Maple Ridge, B.C.

Over the two-day regatta, which is the second largest in Western Canada, with 295 athletes racing from 17 clubs, the YCKC qualified for seven finals (including eight straight-to finals) and posted 15 top 10 performances.

Coach Girouard has taken athletes to Western Canada Games and Canada Summer Games in the past, but this is the first time he has had YCKC athletes competing under the club’s banner at a club regatta.

“For me it’s pretty exciting,” he said. “I’m very happy that the kids were able to actually compare themselves to other kids and see that they were not the worst paddlers.

“Being away from other clubs, it’s hard to get the kids to realize they’re not that bad.”

They realized they’re really quite good actually, as Julianne Girouard, paddling with Elisa Robson-Brown (from another club) raced K2 in the U14/15 category ( Girouard is 12) and finished fourth in their 200m final.

Other top results included Girouard and Danni Wilkie-Hobus finishing fifth in the U13 women’s K2 500m final; Cole Wilkie-Hobus and Sean Allen (another club) finishing sixth in the U13 men’s K2 500m; and Julianne Girouard and Dannie Wilkie-Hobus racing up with Charlotte Gemmill and Keilani Robinson in the U13 K4 500m final for fourth place.

A highlight for coach Girouard was seeing his athletes race K2 together.

Since the group was small, they were able to borrow gear from other clubs, including a K2 boat, which they don’t have access to in Whitehorse.

Now, with some official times under their belts, the athletes will take a few weeks off before starting off-season training.

The youth only competed in kayak events, but Girouard said that with time and confidence, some may choose to paddle canoe as well.

Those interested in competing at next summer’s North American Indigenous Games or Canada Summer Games for paddling can contact Girouard at flatwater@yckc.ca or 334-8121.