Yorkton Canoe Kayak Club athletes competed this past weekend in Regina at the 2018 Prairie Division Sprint Canoe/Kayak Championship. Tayja Kohut (9), Sophie Smith (9), Stephan Roy (10), Josh-lynn Kohut (13), Elia Bolme (13), and Raya Cuthill (15) represented YCKC against competitors from AB, MB, and SK.
Points are assigned based on athlete results in each event final. After an intense weekend of racing, YCKC ranked 1st in U11 Women, 2nd in U13 Men, 2nd in U13 Women, and 2nd in U11 Mixed.
“We had a small but mighty team” said Head Coach Jessica Riley, “I’m thrilled of our success competing against larger clubs like Regina and Calgary. Our team is continuing to grow and recruit new paddlers, so I look forward to increasing our standings in the next couple years and bringing home the U13 or U15 Burgee.” A Burgee is a flag given to the club with the most accumulated points in each age division.
Athletes were challenged off the water as well as on, facing 39 degree weather. “The host committee (Regina) did a fantastic job preparing for the extreme weather,” said YCKC Commodore and parent Nicole Roy. “They had misting tents, cold shower stations, and refreshing snacks for athletes once they got off the water. As a parent it was great to have these options available to keep the athletes healthy during the event”.
Sophie Smith, a 2018 season recruit and competing for the second time this season, had a very successful weekend. Smith won Gold in the U11 Women’s K1 200m, advanced to final in the U11 K1 Mixed 500m event and finished with a Bronze medal. Racing up in the U13 Women’s K1 2000m event, Smith placed 8th with a time just 2 minutes off 1st place. Smith raced with teammate Tayja Kohut (9) to win the U11 Mixed K2 200m Final. The crew also took home Silver in the U11 Mixed K2 500m Final and came in 4th in the U13 Women’s K2 500m Final.
In addition to medaling in events with Smith, T. Kohut won Bronze in the U11 Women’s K1 200m Final and advanced to the U11 Mixed 500m Final where she finished 4th overall. One of the youngest racers at the competition, T. Kohut finished strong in the U13 Women’s 2000m event.
Josh-lynn Kohut (13) placed 4th in the U13 Women’s 2000m event, 5th in the U15 Women’s K1 500m Final, and 5th in the U15 Women’s K1 500m. J. Kohut paddled with teammate Elia Bolme to win Silver in the U13 Women’s K2 500m event and place 4th in the U15 Women’s K2 500m. Kohut/Bolme along with paddlers from Saskatoon won Bronze in the U15 Women’s K4 500m Final.
Bolme had great success in her individual events, taking home Bronze in the U13 Women’s K1 2000m Final, Silver in the U15 Women’s K1 500m Final, and Bronze in the U15 Women’s K1 200m Final.
Bolme, Smith, T. Kohut, J. Kohut joined forces for the U13 Women’s K4 200m Final and took home Silver.
Stephan Roy (10) won Gold in the U11 Men’s K1 200m Final, won his heat and advanced to the final and won Gold in the U11 Mixed K1 500m event. Roy advanced to the final in the U13 Men’s K1 200m event and finished 5th. Roy joined Saskatoon and Calgary competitors to take home Bronze in the U13 Men’s K2 500m final and Gold in the U11 Mixed K2 500m Final. Roy also placed 4th in the U13 Men’s K1 2000m event.
In addition to being a regatta for U15 athletes, Prairie Division Championships also serves as a qualifier for Nationals, the 2018 Canadian Sprint Canoe Kayak Championships hosted in Sherbrooke, QC at the end of this month. Yorkton’s own Ethan Caskey (17) raced with Saskatoon Racing Canoe Club in team events and qualified in his K1 and K2 events. Good luck at Nationals, Ethan!
YCKC’s Raya Cuthill (15) raced in qualifying events for the first time and placed 7th overall in the U16 Women’s K1 1000m, 13th in the U17 Women’s K1 6000m, and 6th in the U16 Women’s K1 200m Final. “Athletes from the division are all competing for a nomination to Nationals in Sherbrooke. Raya did very well for her first time in these events,” said coach Riley.
What’s next for YCKC athletes? YCKC hosts the 2018 Developmental Regatta on Saturday, August 18th. This Olympic style sprint competition is designed for beginner paddlers from across the province who will race in a fun and welcoming environment. YCKC is still recruiting new paddlers for its team! Contact Jessica Riley for more information on how to join or to volunteer for this exciting event!
Don’t forget to get your registration in for the 5th Annual Fall Dragon Boat race – Saturday, September 8. YCKC is accepting team and individual registrations!
For more information on YCKC programs, contact information, paddling sessions, and scheduling, visit www.yorktoncanoekayakclub.com, and like them on Facebook.
