The Pemberton Canoe Club headed to Calgary last week to take part in the Va-a (Outrigger) World Sprints competition, taking part in a variety of competitions from V1 (solo) to V12 (12-person boats). Some athletes competed with other members from the club, while others joined national teams taking part.
The highlight of the competition was the performance of Aleea Dahinden, who earned a bronze medal in the Under 19 Girls competition. According to club president Riva Fisher, it was a first for Canada.
"Aleea's results are historic," she said. "She became the first Canadian junior girl to win an Outrigger world championship medal ever. Amazing result, considering she trains on One Mile Puddle in Pemberton. Parents are stoked."
Dr. Hugh Fisher, a former Olympic gold and bronze medallist in canoe, who is credited with starting the successful local dragon boat program and the club, also had a big meet in Calgary. Still competing at the age of 56 in the Senior Masters category, he won the V1 and V6 500 metre race, and was part of a masters V12 teams that won four gold medals with one day to go.In addition to the medals by Dahinden and Fisher, Pemberton paddlers came close to the podium in several other events.
U16 V12 Girls — Lauren Phare, Dayna Goochey, Pascha Protter, Keeley Oulette, Anne Linklater and Madison Graves finished fourth in the final.
Canada 1 U16 V12 Boys — Liam Miller and Cavan Oulette finished fifth in the final.
Canada 1 U19 Girls — Aleea Dahinden, Lauren Phare, Dayna Goochey and Tachona Jones finished fourth in the final.
Canada 1 U 19 V12 Boys — Jesse Miller, Liam Miller, Matt Tuck, Sean McGuire and Whistler's Jonas Horvath finished fifth in the final.
Canada 2 U19 Girls — Pascha Protter, Maddy Kerr, Jessica Dehaan, Anne Linklater, Keely Oulette, Maddy Graves, Georgia Bradner and Amhani Jones finished fifth in the final.
Canada 2 U19 boys V12 — Kalio Sittlinger finished sixth in the final.
Canada 1 U16 V6 500M — Lauren Phare, Dayna Goochey and Pascha Protter finished fourth in the final.
Canada 2 U16 V6 — Keeley Oulette, Anne Linklater, Maddy Graves and steered by Amhani Jones failed to reach the final.
Canada 1 U16 Boys — Liam Miller were disqualified for a lane violation.
Canada 1 U 19 Girls — with Aleea Dahinden and Tachona Jones finished in fifth, 0.3 seconds out of third.
Canada 2 U19 Girls — Maddy Kerr, Jessica Dehaan Georgia Bradner, Dayna Goochey and Laren Phare failed to reach the final.
V1 U16 Boys — Liam Miller finished sixth in final and is the first Canadian Junior to ever reach a singles final at a world championship.
V1 U16 Girls — Lauren Phare, Dayna Goochey and Keeley Oulette failed to reach the final.
V1 U19 Boys — Jesse Miller had fastest time of Canadians, Matt Tuck and Sean McGuire failed to reach the final.
U19Girls V1 — Aleea Dahinden won Canada's first ever Junior Worlds outrigger medal finishing third.
Masters women Canada 2 with V6 500 — Barb Sittlinger, Maureen Peatfield and Corrine Graves finished out of the finals.
Senior Masters — Liz Jones, Karen Protter and Anne McGuire failed to reach the finals.
Hugh Fisher, racing in Senior masters, won the single and the V6 500 and V12 500 as well as the V12 masters with Canadian teammates, finishing with four gold medals.
Wednesday is the last day of competition. More results next week.
