ACA Instructor Contest – 2021

“Smart Start for Recreational Paddlers”

The ACA Board of Directors, Safety Education & Instruction Department, and the ACA State Directors are excited to announce a contest to encourage all ACA instructors to conduct courses and introduce more new paddlers to safe and enjoyable paddling! This is a chance to engage with your local paddling community, find or create a source of new course students, and earn some prizes along the way! To Watch the Facebook Live Video of the Contest Announcement, please click here.

It couldn’t be simpler to enter – you don’t have to do anything special; simply report your courses for teaching credit in the ACA Course Management System (CMS) – that’s it!

Participation in this contest is completely voluntary. Every ACA Instructor, IT, or ITE who reports an eligible course will be entered to win. All contest entries will be based on data entered in the ACA Course Management System (CMS) for classes conducted between Memorial Day through Labor Day (May 22nd and September 6th, 2021).

Any course taught by an Instructor/IT/ITE at a Paddle America Club (PAC) sponsored course will count as a contest entry for the individual Instructor/IT/ITE and for the PAC. Course reports must be properly submitted via the CMS by midnight on October 1, 2021. Winners will be announced at the ACA National Virtual Meeting in Fall 2021.

Contest Categories:

• Instructor
• Instructor Trainer / Educator
• Paddle America Club (PAC)

There will be a Grand Prize for the highest performer in each category. There will also be random drawings for additional prizes. The more contest entries you accumulate, the higher likelihood you have to win! All prizes will be awarded during the ACA National Virtual Meeting in Fall 2021.

Prizes Include, but are not limited to:

Grand Prize for Instructor with the most entries:                   $500 Cash

Grand Prize for IT/ITE with most entries:                             $500 Cash

Grand Prize for PAC with most entries:                                $500 Cash

Random drawings:

• 5 drawings for $100 Cash
• Free year of ACA membership + SEIC Dues
• Free year of PAC annual membership
• Special Feature on ACA Website & Monthly Newsletter
• Special Feature in ACA Paddle eMagazine
  
  

Contest Entry Structure: The number of contest entries (chances to win) is determined by course submissions within the CMS: using either the “EZ Skills” submission process or full course roster, if applicable. All ACA instructional disciplines are eligible: canoe, kayak, stand up paddleboarding, rafting, safety & rescue, prone paddling, and surfski.

The following course submissions will earn contest entries (chances to win). Any entry that is earned from a PAC sanctioned course will be awarded to the individual instructor as well as the PAC.

To Earn One (1) Contest Entry:

● Teach a Level 1 Skills Course Student

● Teach a Level 2 Skills Course Student

● Teach a PSF Course Student

● Teach a Level 1 Skills Assessment Student

● Teach a Level 2 Skills Assessment Student

● Teach a PSF Instructor Endorsement Candidate, Level 1 or 2 Instructor Certification, Update, or Upgrade Candidate (For ITs/ITEs only)

To Earn Two (2) Contest Entries:

● You enroll as a PSF Endorsement Candidate

● You enroll as a Level 1 Instructor Certification Course Candidate

● You enroll as a Level 2 Instructor Certification Course Candidate

● You enroll as a Level 1 Instructor Update Course Candidate

● You enroll as a Level 2 Instructor Update Course Candidate

● You enroll as a Level 1 Instructor Upgrade Candidate

● You enroll as a Level 2 Instructor Upgrade Candidate

The ACA Education Department will post informal leaderboard reports in July and August on the ACA website, so you can track your progress. These informal leaderboard reports will be based on the number of students you teach. At the end of the season, contest entries for instructors who have been certified, updated, upgraded their certifications, or earned a PSF instructor endorsement will be added to the course/student records to determine the final contest winners. All prizes will be awarded during the ACA National Virtual Meeting in Fall 2021.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

How do I enter the contest?

Please do not call or email the ACA staff about contest entries. Please log in to the ACA Course Management System (CMS) to submit your courses and number of students.

How do I access the Course Management System (CMS)?

Please visit the ACA website, here. The CMS system uses your standard ACA Login and Password.

The CMS system says my instructor certification is “Inactive,” but my dues and certification are up to date. How do I fix this?

This remedied by uploading a copy of your first aid and CPR credentials. To do so, please scroll to the bottom of the dashboard (the page you land on once logged in) and click the “Member Documents” link to upload a copy of your first aid and CPR cards. *Please use either a word document or PDF file type, not a jpeg image.

How do I report a course?

Once logged into the CMS, use the “Course Creation and Maintenance” tab on the left side menu bar and click “Course Registration/EZ Reporting.” Either begin a new course registration or select from any of your open/saved courses displayed on the list. Using the dropdown menus provided, indicate the course type, discipline, level, and type in information such as date(s), location, and related notes. If your skills course did NOT utilize ACA insurance, click the “yes” option when asked “Is this a non-insured, skill course EZ report?” This will allow you to enter your total number of participants and submit the course. If you conducted a skills assessment course or any type of course that utilized ACA’s insurance program, please be sure to build a course roster and follow all the appropriate steps regarding liability waivers and other insurance fees. For step-by-step instructions for all CMS features, please see the user guide posted at www.americancanoe.org/CMS

Any classes conducted between Memorial Day (May 22, 2021) and Labor Day (Sept 6, 2021) and properly submitted before midnight on October 1, 2021 will count toward the contest.

Day 1 of competition on July 5 featured the men’s and women’s kayak teams final runs for U23 and junior categories and the men’s and women’s canoe teams final runs for U23 and junior categories. The U.S. women’s kayak U23 team came in 10th place. The men’s U23 team came in 15th place.

The women’s kayak U23 heats started the day on July 6, with Ria Sribar finishing 18th in her first run and qualifying for the semifinal. Joshua Joseph racing in the U23 men’s kayak category finished in second after his first run. Wesley Bolyard qualified for the semifinal after his second run.

Later that day, Nathaniel Francis qualified for the junior men’s canoe semifinal after his first run.

Day 3 of competition saw the junior women’s kayakers out on the course, with Evy Leibfarth and Marcella Altman finishing in 6th and 7th, respectively, after their first runs. Isabel Long qualified for the semifinal after her second run. Emma Morgan Joseph experienced her first race on the international circuit with a solid run, but did not progress.

Day 4 began with the U23 women’s kayak semifinals. Ria Sribar finished third behind Angele Hug of France and Elena Apel of Germany, qualifying for the event final. Joshua Joseph finished 20th in the semifinal and did not advance. Later that day, Ria Sribar won the bronze medal for team USA Canoe & Kayak after a great performance.

The afternoon of Day 4 saw Evy Leibfarth take the course once again in the junior women’s canoe semifinal. She finished third only slightly behind Klara Kneblova from the Czech Republic in second place. Leibfarth finished third in the junior canoe final after six seconds of penalties and took home the bronze medal. The Kneblova sisters from the Czech Republic earned the gold and silver medal, becoming the first siblings in the history of international canoe slalom to win those two medals together.

The final day of canoe slalom competition on July 9 featured the junior women’s kayak semifinal. Leibfarth finished in second and qualified for the final later that day. Kaelin Friedenson, who raced in the junior men’s kayak semifinal, just missed advancing to the final after coming in 11th place (only top 10 progress). After a great run, Leibfarth earned the junior women’s kayak world title. With her Olympic debut only 13 days away, this final race demonstrated her talent and ability amongst world class competitors.

July 10 featured the extreme slalom competition. Kaelin Friedenson won the world title in the junior men’s division, and continues to be a promising athlete in the event as it gains traction on the world stage. Extreme slalom will make its Olympic debut at the Paris 2024 Games.

Congratulations to all medal winners and all USA Canoe & Kayak athletes! Watch Evy Leibfarth take the stage again in Tokyo on July 25th along with Michal Smolen and Zach Lokken. Nevin Harrison will compete in canoe sprint (C-1 200m). 

Follow @officialusacanoekayak on instagram or USA Canoe & Kayak on Facebook for team updates and news.

Wow! What a difference a year makes!

I hope you all are having a wonderful start to the summer paddling season and enjoying the camaraderie that was absent from most of our lives a year ago. The ACA staff is enjoying being quite busy – issuing insurance coverage, helping instructors with new classes, and making final preparations for the Tokyo Olympics which begin in one short month!

Some brief highlights about many initiatives currently underway:

• Our Diversity, Equity & Inclusion Board Committee is meeting weekly to map out a course for future initiatives. The ACA has signed a Memorandum of Understanding with the Paddlesports Action Committee (PSAC), led by Gerry James, to serve as the fiscal agent for the PSAC. We have also retained Gerry as a contractor to lead our efforts to plan and implement two People of Color Paddlesports Leadership Academies to be held in the fall of 2021.
  
• The State Directors group, assisted by our Public Policy Director Brett Mayer, has several tactical and strategic proposals in the works.
• The Safety, Education and Instruction Council is working on a wide variety of improvements to course offerings, curriculum, and administrative tools for instructors and trainers.
• Our Olympic Team, led by Rok Sribar (General Manager of High Performance Programs) is training hard for Tokyo. Congratulations to Sprint Canoeist and World Champion, Nevin Harrison, and Slalom athletes, Evy Leibfarth, Michal Smolen, and Zach “Bug” Lokken for earning the right to compete for Team USA in Tokyo. Congratulations also to our Paracanoe athletes, Kaithlyn Verfuerth and Blake Haxton who will represent the ACA and Team USA at the Tokyo Paralymipics.

I’m pleased to report that we have membership count has increased by over 1000 members since December of 2021. Thanks to all of you who helped recruit new members.

And, finally, we continue to make progress on our new website. The development is just about complete, and we are doing robust testing to minimize the disruption of switching to a new site.

My heartfelt thanks to all of you for your continued support of the ACA’s mission!!

Happy Summer,

Beth Spilman

I’m heavily involved with an organization called Lighthouse for the “Blind and Low Vision -Tampa.” I have volunteered monthly for 4 years; I have organized and taught students to lead trips and teach kayaking skills including how to maintain heading using the sun or wind. Most kids progressed into single kayaks. While supporting the recreation goals, games were included which reinforced boat control skills. As physical disabilities are common with those with vision impairment, instructors used both Adaptive Paddling and Advanced Communication skills that were learned during ACA Universal paddling workshops. Two of the workshops were conducted at the Sweetwater Gulf Coast Symposium including paddlers from Europe and the US.

I also work with the Manatee County Blueway Trails Paddling Program. I developed and conducted the program for the past 10 years, I have led over 300 trips and conducted over 40 First Time Paddlers classes for Manatee County. The purpose of the trips and classes is to introduce ACA paddling techniques and safety standards to paddlers. As an instructor in the University of Florida Master Naturalist Program and Certified Interpreter by National Association for Interpretation, I am able to get paddlers to appreciate and protect nature, i.e. stewardship. Additionally, we have conducted ACA and county river/coastal cleanups.

Slalom:

Evy Leibfarth

• Hometown: Bryson City, NC
• 17 years old
• Will represent the US in Tokyo this summer in the WK-1 and WC-1 events and will be among the youngest athletes competing at the Games
• 2019 Pan American champion in WK-1, and finished 4th at her first senior world championship in 2019 in the WC-1 to secure an Olympic quota for the US

Zach “Bug” Lokken

• Hometown: Durango, CO
• Zach has been on the national team for 9 years (since 2012)
• Began canoe slalom in a C-1 when he was 8 years old
• Zach’s childhood nickname was Bug
• Made his senior international debut at the 2009 world championships when he was 15 years old

Michal Smolen:

• Hometown: Charlotte, NC
• 27 years old
• Born and raised in Krakow, Poland, until he was 10 years old
• 2016 Rio Olympian - finished 12th in the MK-1

Sprint:

Nevin Harrison:

• Hometown: Seattle, Washington
• 19 Years Old
• Will represent the US in Tokyo this summer in C-1 200m
• Was the first American canoeist to win a world championship medal in canoe sprint in 2019
• In Tokyo, Harrison could become the first American woman to win Olympic gold in either sprint or slalom.

Paracanoe:

Kaitlyn Verfuerth:

• Hometown: Flagstaff, Arizona
• 36 Years Old
• Will represent the US in Tokto this summer in Paracanoe KL2 and VL2
• Secured a ticket to Tokyo based on her result in VL1 women 200m at the 2019 ICF World Championships

Blake Haxton:

• Hometown: Columbus, Ohio
• 31 Years old
• Will represent the US in Tokyo this summer in Paracanoe VL2
• Blake is also a member of the U.S. Paralympic Rowing Team and was named to the Paralympic team in the men’s single sculls event at the U.S. Team Trials in April.

World Cup #2 in Marrkleeberg, Germany, was a memorable one for Team USA. Three athletes progressed in both kayak and canoe events (with Evy Leibfarth progressing in WK-1 and WC-1) to the semifinal and Michal Smolen to the kayak final. However, due to a COVID-19 related incident, these athletes were unable to perform in canoe events on the final day of competition. 

The Markkleeberg Word Cup was the last major senior international competition before the Tokyo Olympic Games next month, which begin on July 23. 

Tokyo bound athletes,Leibfarth and Smolen, progressed in their first runs of the women’s and men’s K-1. Leibfarth finished 9th out of the top 20 to qualify for the semifinal in the first run (another 10 qualify after run 2. This system is the same for the men’s event). Smolen finished 16th out of the top 20 to qualify. Joshua Joseph advancedto the semifinal after finishing third in his second run.

In the women’s kayak semifinal on Day 2 of the competition, Leibfarth finished in 11th place with only the top 10 athletes progressing to the final. Smolen finished 7th in the men’s semifinal and 7th in the final. 

The afternoon sessions on Day 1 featured the canoe events. Evy Leibfarthfinished 8th in her first run, once again qualifying for the semifinal without a second run. On the men’s side, Casey Eichfeld and Zach (Bug) Lokken did much the same, earning 17th and 18th place, respectively, after their first runs to automatically earn semifinal qualification. 

Due to the COVID-19 incident, Leibfarth, Eichfeld and Lokken did not compete in the semifinals or finals of the canoe events.

The weekend prior at World Cup 1 in Prague, Czech Republic, Smolen and Lokken were chosen to represent Team USA at the Tokyo Olympics in their respective events. With that, three U.S. slalom athletes will head to the Games this summer, including Evy Leibfarth, who will compete in both WK-1 and WC-1. 

Up next for slalom athletes is the ICF Junior & U23 World Championships in Ljubljana-Tacen, Slovenia on July 6 - 11, 2021. 

With some overcast weather and afternoon showers, the first day of World Cup Prague has concluded and Team USA took the international stage by storm. Five U.S. athletes progressed to the semifinals: Tokyo bound Evy Leibfarth advanced in both kayak and canoe events, Rio Olympian Michal Smolen and Joshua Joseph advanced in kayak, and Zach Lokken and Casey Eichfield will race again in canoe. 

The stakes are high for the U.S. men as World Cup Prague will serve as the final Olympic selection race ahead of the Tokyo Games this summer. Selection is based on a points system – the higher an athlete finishes, the more points he will receive (see below for pre-competition standings). The athlete with the most points will compete at the Olympic Games in their respective event.

Kayak heats commenced in the morning, featuring Evy Leibfarth and teammates Ria Sribar and Marcella Altman. Leibfarth finished 19^th after her first run qualifying for tomorrow’s semifinal without a second run. Sribar and Altman will not advance. 

Leibfarth is satisfied with her performance but has a new race strategy as the competition goes on.

 “I’m really happy with my paddling today... I was being a bit more conservative during this run, but in my next one I’m planning to get really aggressive and attack.”

In men’s kayak, Michal Smolen and Joshua Joseph will progress to the semifinal - the former qualifying after his first run and the latter qualifying in a fantastic second run. Tyler Westfall will not advance. With their performances today, Smolen and Joshua remain in the running for the MK-1 Olympic spot. 

The afternoon session featured the men’s and women’s canoe heats. Evy Leibfarth took to the course again, qualifying for the semifinal in her first run. Harriet Rollins took two runs and will not progress to the next round. Leibfarth is set to compete in both the kayak and canoe events at the Games this summer.

The men’s canoe heats included three-time Olympian Casey Eichfeld (2), along with Nathanial Francis (1) and Zach Lokken (3). Both Eichfeld and Lokken qualified for the semifinal on their first runs, and Nathaniel Francis will not advance. Eichfeld and Lokken will continue to compete for the MC-1 Olympic qualification. 

“We want to do well at every World Cup, but this one holds a lot of extra loaded pressure because it’s our last Olympic selection race. My run felt good and smooth... it got me into the semifinals which was today’s goal. It’s another chance to fight on Sunday,” Eichfeld said.

Stay tuned for Day 2 of World Cup Prague tomorrow. The kayak events will come to a close, with semifinals in the morning followed by the finals. Extreme slalom time trials will follow. 

Pre-World Cup Standings

The following points are available at the ICF Canoe Slalom World Cup Prague toward Olympic selection: 

MK-1:

MC-1:

Saturday 6/12 - Day 2 

Day two of World Cup Prague and Michal Smolen has officially secured his ticket to Tokyo in the MK-1 event. Following a great run in the semifinal, Michal finished in 10^th place ahead of Joshua Joseph, guaranteeing him the Olympic spot.  

Smolen went on to finish 5^th in the final against some of the toughest international competition in slalom kayaking. Overall, he feels positive about his performance in Prague and looks forward to his second Olympic Games. 

"Today went pretty well considering how much pressure there was on this race. I’m happy it’s over now because it has been a long road to Tokyo. I’m excited to go to my second Olympics and will take my experience from Rio to try and get a better result in Tokyo. Now all I have left is to train hard and finish my last bit of preparation.”  

Earlier in the day, Evy Leibfarth raced in the semifinal of the WK-1. With a few more gate touches than her normal routine, she did not progress to the final. Evy will have another opportunity to make a final in the WC-1 semifinal tomorrow.  

The afternoon session featured Eric Jackson in extreme slalom trial runs. The final day of competition in Prague will begin tomorrow with men’s and women’s canoe semifinals, finals and extreme slalom runs.  

Sunday 6/13 - Day 3 

The third and final day of competition punched Zach (Bug) Lokken’s ticket to the Tokyo Olympics in the MC-1 event. Zach finished second in the semifinal ahead of Casey Eichfeld, granting him the final edge he needed to earn the right to compete at the Games for Team USA. 

"I stuck to my plan and did everything well except for a mistake at the bottom that I was able to fix.  I made the final which I was aiming for, but the Olympics was my ultimate goal. I’m so happy about it” Lokken said. 

Lokken finished 8^th in the MC-1 final with 7.63 seconds of added penalties.  

The WC-1 event featured Evy Leibfarth who finished 15th in the semifinal with only the top 10 progressing to the final. Although she did not progress in either event at this World Cup, she is confident heading into World Cup Markkleeberg next week. 

“I think I had some good paddling out there. The top part of my run felt good, but the bottom got a little messy – not my best paddling but I’m still pretty happy with my run.” 

Overall, World Cup Prague was a success for Team USA, punching two tickets to Tokyo for Michal Smolen in MK-1 and Bug Lokken in MC-1. Congratulations to both men as they gear up for the Olympic Games starting on July 23, 2021. 

The May 2021 Edition of ACA's Monthly Newsletter and Paddle eMagazine is now available! In this special edition, we have combined the best stories, photos, and articles from our monthly newsletter into one exciting and colorful magazine for you to enjoy! Click here to read.

Here's an outline of the latest stories:

Recreation

• New ACA National Office Staff, Members of the Board of Directors, and Athlete Advisory Council Representatives
• Recent State Director Program Community Success Stories
• This Year's ACA and L.L. Bean Club Fostered Community Grant Recipients

Education

• Brand New ACA Hand Paddling Program
• Recently Released ACA Level 5 Rafting Program

Competition

• Olympic Team Trials - Sprint
• Olympic Team Trials - Slalom
• Extreme Slalom Event
• Stories from Szeged: Paracanoe & Sprint Events
• Open Canoe Slalom Nationals
• SafeSport Training Platform

Stewardship & Public Policy

• Georgia River Network Needs Your Help!
• PAW+ Act
• Review of Washington State Boater Card Legislation
• Paddler's Voice In Neuse River Access Plans
• Labadie Whitewater Park
• Missouri and New Mexico Policy Updates

Special Features

• International Whitewater Hall of Fame - Now Accepting Inductee Nominations
• Mississippi River Speed Record Attempt
• Special Products from ACA Partner, Buddy Insurance
• Summary Medical History Cards: Risk Management for Paddlers by Steven Henkind, M.D., P.h.D., WFR

Click here to read!

May 17, 2021

ACA Press Office

The U.S. Sprint and Paracanoe teams made their mark in Szeged, Hungary, this week, proving their stamina and competitiveness on the international stage ahead of the Tokyo Olympic Games.

A special congratulations goes out to Paralympian (Steve) Blake Haxton, who qualified by name for Tokyo in the men’s VL 200m, and who will be competing in two sports (paracanoe and rowing) at the Games this summer. Additionally, 18-year-old sprint star Nevin Harrison, who punched her ticket to the Olympics in March at U.S. Team Trials, won the C-1 200m race in Szeged.

The U.S. team performed well overall, with many boats progressing to the semifinal round in their respective events.

In the men’s sprint, the MK-1 5000m Final A featured Nathan Humberston, who finished 20th in Final A. The MK-1 1000m featured Alexander Lee, who finished sixth in his heat, in addition to an eighth-place finish in Final B of the MK-2 1000m with partner Owen Farley-Klacik. Nathan Humberston finished ninth in the semifinals of the MK-1 1000m before advancing to Final C. In the MK-1 200m, Stanton Collins finished sixth in his heat. Kenneth Kasperbauer finished 9th in the semifinals of the MC-1 500m and fifth in Final A of the mixed C-2 200m with partner Nevin Harrison.

In the women’s sprint, Shaye Hatchette finished seventh in her WK-1 200m heat and seventh in the semifinals of the WK-2 500m with partner Kaitlyn McElroy. This World Cup is the first international event for Hatchette, a winner of the Next Olympic Hopeful in August of 2018, and a native of Oklahoma City, who now trains with Zsolt Szadovszki in Gainesville, Georgia. McElroy also competed in the K-1 500m, finishing seventh in her heat. In women’s canoe, Lydia Sampson and Azusa Murphy finished ninth in Final B of the WC-2 500m event and fifth in the semifinal in the WC-2 200m. Lydia Sampson also competed in Final A of the WC-1 5000m event.

In paracanoe, the U.S. team secured Olympic men and women quotas in the VL2 event. (Steve) Blake Haxton finished an excellent fourth in Final A of the VL1 men 200m event to earn the Olympic quota, missing the podium by just 0.25 seconds. After the quota reallocation process by the International Canoe Federation (ICF), Kaitlyn Verfuerth secured a ticket to Tokyo based on her result in VL1 women 200m at the 2019 ICF World Championships, pending the USPOC’s approval. Additionally, Michael Ballard finished eighth in Final B of the KL2 men 200m, and Jamey Parks finished sixth in Final B of the VL3 men 200m. Erica Davis finished ninth in Final A of the KL1 women 200m, missing a quota by one place.

Despite coronavirus setbacks and a year of modified competition, the U.S. team had a successful showing in Szeged ahead of the postponed Tokyo Games season.

May 14^th was a memorable day for U.S. Paracanoe at the Final Paralympic Qualifier in Szeged, Hungary, as (Steve) Blake Haxton secured a quota spot for Tokyo with his fourth-place finish in the men’s VL2 200m. To earn this qualification, he had to paddle faster than at least one of the three eligible athletes in the final – instead, he beat all of them.

Haxton earned the Paralympic quota spot by name and will represent the United States on the biggest international stage this summer in not one but two sports, pending the USPOC’s approval. The Ohio native is also a member of the U.S. Paralympic Rowing Team and was named to the Paralympic team in the men’s single sculls event at the U.S. Team Trials in April. For Haxton, the opportunity to compete at the Tokyo Games in a second sport seems surreal since he initially aimed to qualify in paracanoe for the 2024 Paris Games. However, with the Paralympic postponement last summer, he used the extra year to get in the extra repetitions he needed to be competitive at the international level.

“I’m surprised. I’m still in the early part of my learning curve in the canoe, so I didn’t expect to qualify until 2024. But with the extra year, the summer of 2020 was when things started to click for me, and I got more time in the boat.”

Despite his lack of experience in the canoe, Haxton feels that rowing has had a huge impact on his successful transition.“They are very different sports, but there are a few key fundamentals that definitely carry over like balancing in the boat, understanding what a good catch feels like, and having a high fitness level. Having the endurance from a 2,000-meter race in rowing before jumping into a 200-meter race in the canoe is very helpful.”

With the help of his rowing coach, Pat Kington, who also coaches him in the canoe, Haxton feels that the addition and transition between the sports has been relatively easy. Haxton also credits Deborah Page, U.S. Paracanoe Committee Chair, and athletes on the U.S. canoe sprint team with being a helpful resource in teaching him the finer details on how to improve. “The able-bodied C-1 racers have been incredibly helpful over the past year, whether I’m at their training camp or just listening to them talk about different parts of the stroke. I also seek out other athletes with a similar injury to my own and watch tape. Pat is great at that – he’s good at being creative.” 

Page thinks Haxton’s performance in Szeged will do more long term than just punch a ticket to Tokyo and will catch the eye of other para-athletes. “When you have talented athletes like Haxton in your stable, it will attract others to the sport, especially other para-athletes who will say, ‘let me check this out.’”

It is common for para-athletes to come from other sports to try their hand at a new skill. Many find that their athleticism takes them far while having new opportunities to compete on the national and international levels. Like Kington, Page attributes Haxton’s ongoing success to his intuitive nature on the water and his ability to remain calm in high-pressure situations. “He has very high potential. Blake has a massive amount of upper body strength and does not panic. He never starts chopping his stroke.”

Moving forward, Haxton says he is likely to give up rowing after the Tokyo Games due to classification standards but plans to stick with paracanoe.  And so, the balancing game begins for Haxton, as he sets his sights on training and competing for two sports ahead of the Games this summer. Paralympic rowing competition will take place on August 27-29, a few days before the paracanoe competition, which begins on September 2.

Sprint sensation Nevin Harrison, who will be representing the U.S. in Tokyo this summer, won gold in the C-1 200m world cup race in Szeged, Hungary, yesterday at the same course where she became the first U.S world champion in canoe sprint in 2019. Same event, same place, just about two seconds faster.

Harrison took the lead by 0.29 seconds over the second-place finisher, Yarisleidis Cirilo Duboys of Cuba, followed by Liudmyla Luzan of Ukraine. This race provided precisely the kind of confidence-boosting opportunity she hoped to gain with the Tokyo Games quickly approaching. However, according to Harrison, the race also helps put things in perspective.

“It was a confidence boost but also a wake-up call. Just to know that other girls are improving, I really need to stay on my A-game. ”

Although Harrison pulled out the win, the 200-meter sprint race is always unpredictable; the victory depends on who can best execute his or her race plan and out-paddle the competition on that day.

In the days leading up to the final, Harrison sensed she was not feeling her best and decided to formulate a new strategy before heading into the final.

“For the semi, I wasn’t 100 percent. I guess the feedback wasn’t there, and I didn’t feel well connected. My coach [Zolt Szadovski] and I sat down and talked through how to get better and improve. In the final, it started coming together...”

Even on her off days, Harrison proactively takes charge of her race preparation and can pull out the win against the best competition – even against those athletes who have caused her trouble in the past. Looking ahead to the Tokyo Games in about two months, Harrison’s training will get more intense but exciting.

“The coming weeks will be a lot of fine-tuning and working off my base from the winter. I’m really strong physically, but in such a short race, it’s really a mental game.”

Harrison describes her upcoming practices to include a lot of one-on-one training and speed work. She will continue to train on Lake Lanier in Gainesville, Georgia, at the competition site of the 1996 Atlanta Olympic Games. According to Harrison, during this period, she will put her training to the test to see what she is truly capable of. The results thus far have been positive, and she hopes to continue this before hitting the biggest and most competitive world stage this summer in Japan.

“It’s hard to get faster in this short time leading up to Tokyo, but it will be the fine-tuning and small adjustments that will perfect my race plan moving forward... it feels really good to be at the top of the podium now.”

CONTACT: iwhof@americancanoe.org

IWHoF Announces Final Phase of Class of 2021 Nominees

Induction Plans to Be Announced July 2021

(Takoma Park, MD, USA) Nominations for the International Whitewater Hall of Fame (IWHoF) Class of 2021 continue; nominations are accepted year-round and will be accepted for 2021 induction consideration through June 25, 2021.

Since 2005 the International Whitewater Hall of Fame has honored fifty-one individuals for having excelled as Explorers, Pioneers, Competitors, and Advocates for rivers and those who enjoy them.

“We are excited about the prospect of honoring a new group of accomplished individuals whose skill, determination, and love for whitewater place them in a deserved space in our community,’ shares Risa Shimoda, President of the World River Center and Class of 2010 IWHoF inductee. “Paddling, competing, innovating, and challenging our nations’ river communities to come together to highlight the importance of these stars can play an important role in the interconnectedness of our countries and the future of our rivers.”

Pam Dillon, World River Center Vice President, agrees and suggests, “During this unprecedented year, many of us have taken extra time to watch vintage paddling videos and celebrated heroes and accomplishments of those who have gone before us. Share your affection for those leaders and groundbreakers by nominating them as a Class of 2021 inductee!”  Dillon continues with a reminder to those who have nominated accomplished individuals who did not win during their balloting year. “Please re-submit these heroes, and please contact IWHoF if you’d like assistance reviewing past submission information.”

When nominations are submitted, the IWHoF screeners will review them to determine a slate, whose names will be open for voting by the IWHoF electorate, an international body of experienced paddlesports experts. The IWHoF Class of 2021 will be announced in July 2021. Given the importance of safe distancing in groups and varying international regulations, the format for the induction ceremony is still being determined.

The International Whitewater Hall of Fame is a program of the World River Center, Inc., incorporated in 2019 to connect those who love rivers and the challenge of whitewater to inspire tomorrow’s explorers, innovators, competitors, and advocates. The International Whitewater Hall of Fame was founded in McHenry, Maryland as a program of the Adventures Sports Center International.

To submit a nomination, please click here. For more information, contact iwhof@americancanoe.org or call +1 301-502-6548.

The Georgia River Network is developing an amazing app to provide real time information on Georgia's incredible network of water trails including coastal waters, rivers, and lakes!

If you are familiar with Georgia's waterways, we need your help to gather and review key pieces of information that will be useful to paddlers all over the state. If you'd like to support this project, please contact ACA Public Policy Chief Brett Mayer: bmayer@americancanoe.org.

Click here to check out the GA River Network!

Important Update! You can now use the CMS to sign annual liability waivers for the students in your courses - both current ACA members and non-members!

Students in ACA insured instructional courses now have the ability to sign an ACA liability waiver within the Course Management System (CMS) platform. Current ACA members may sign an online liability waiver by logging into their CMS dashboard and scrolling to the "Your Dues and Credentials" section. The "Annual Liability Waiver" link will provide the opportunity to review and sign the waiver, which will then be saved within the members’ CMS profile for twelve months from the date of signing. The option to upload a scan of a signed hard copy waiver is still available. A detailed guide to the full functionality of the CMS liability waiver tool is available at www.americancanoe.org/CMS.

Please be sure to read the posted "Update Bulletin #3" that is linked on the CMS log in page!

In some ways, it's hard to believe that we've been under siege from the COVID-19 pandemic for a year, and in other ways, it seems much longer than that. But, as the vaccine rollout continues to pick up steam, it's so nice to be able to look forward to a more normal paddling season. In the ACA office, we are excited to see member activity begin to pick up, including course registrations, reports, insurance inquiries, and new events being added to our online calendar. On the Competition front, we are busy planning for our Olympic Team Trials for both Sprint (to be held March 18-20 in Sarasota, Florida) and Slalom (to be held April 12-14 in Charlotte, NC).

These activities, along with the SEIC and Discipline Committee meetings held late last month, remind me that we are extremely fortunate to have so many dedicated volunteers. You are invaluable and irreplaceable, and we sincerely thank you for the many hours you devote to the ACA.

Happy (almost) Spring!

Beth Spilman, ACA Executive Director

Please contact ACA Staff Member Stanton Collins at scollins@americancanoe.org with questions regarding SafeSport and background check compliance.

Two House Resolutions were recently tabled in the New Mexico State Legislature that aimed to change the New Mexico State Constitution. Although these efforts appeared to change the language of the Constitution to protect the rights of hunters and anglers to hunt, fish, and harvest wildlife, the underlying intent was to elevate private property rights over the right to hunt, fish, and float. NM State Director Robert Levin and Norm Gaume played a pivotal role in organizing quick opposition to both Resolutions, HR 5 and HR 8, within the local paddling communities. The Resolutions were swiftly tabled after the hearings on Tuesday. Both Resolutions were attempts to preempt stream access rights litigation that is currently being considered by the New Mexico Supreme Court.

Links to both Resolutions appear below:

HJR05

HJR08

Over the past few months, we have welcomed some new colleagues to the ACA as members of our national staff and our Board of Directors and as ACA representatives to the United States Olympic & Paralympic Athlete Advisory Council. We also bid farewell to three staff members who have decided to embark on new life adventures.

First, let me introduce you to:

• Kristal Pastell, our new Insurance Coordinator. Kristal has been in the insurance industry for over 5 years. She began as customer service agent and worked her way to becoming a customer service manager. She loves being a part of a work family, and is ecstatic to be a part of the ACA. Her goal is to provide a warm and comfortable atmosphere within the insurance department, and do everything she can to serve ACA members.
• Candy Patten, our new Assistant Membership Coordinator, might be a familiar face to many of you. Candy spent 4 years as the ACA Insurance Coordinator and recently returned to our team after teaching paddling & outdoor classes for several years. We are grateful for Candy’s organizational knowledge of the ACA and passion for supporting our paddling community.
• Stanton Collins, our Athlete Safety and Compliance Manager. Stanton has grown up in the Sprint paddling community at Lake Lanier and was an athlete representative to the ACA Board of Directors for three years. He recently graduated from Georgia Tech with a degree in Economics and is working for the ACA on a part time basis as he continues to train for international competition. Stanton’s perspective as a current athlete and his broad knowledge of the competition landscape are already proving to be incredibly valuable.

Please join me in welcoming several new members to our Board of Directors and thanking them in advance for their service to ACA:

• Sarah Bahn: Sarah currently lives in Hood River, Oregon and is a Budget Analyst for the United States Forest Service. She is a former Slalom National Team Member and, among other accomplishments, was a Silver Medalist in Whitewater Slalom at the 1999 World Championships.
• Rainey Hoffman: Rainey is an attorney and lives in Seattle, Washington where he serves as Counsel to the Investment Office of a private foundation. He is a lifelong paddler and, early in his career, spent a few years on staff at American Whitewater.
• Brandon Slate: As the owner of Rocky Mountain Outdoor Center, Brandon is quite submerged in the commercial aspects of paddle sports instruction. He is also very passionate about the environmental aspects of free-flowing rivers. As President of the Arkansas River Outfitters Association, he has worked closely with many stakeholders in the evolution of his local Voluntary Flow Management Program (VFMP). Throughout this process, Brandon has learned to be an advocate for recreational flows that can mesh with environmental, commercial, and agricultural needs.
• Charles “C.C.” Williams: Over the past 15 years, his work as a small business owner, outdoor educator, and municipal government employee has provided him with a wide range of opportunities to hone his ability to ask meaningful questions and work as part of a team to find effective ways to maximize team strengths while identifying and meeting organizational goals and objectives. In 2011 he joined the City of Rock Hill, S.C. Parks, Recreation & Tourism Department as a Program Supervisor. C.C. started Four Williams Outdoors, LLC in 2018 to meet a regional need for increased paddlesports education and to provide opportunities for his students to “learn through paddling” as they discover more about themselves, their environment, and their neighbors. His work with the ACA began in 2007 and has included several volunteer positions: Secretary for the Safety, Education & Instruction Council and a voting member of the Safety & Rescue Discipline Committee.

I’m pleased to share that our athlete community recently elected ACA’s Representative and Alternate Representative to the United States Olympic & Paralympic Committee’s Athlete Advisory Council (AAC).  Congratulations to Kenny Kasperbauer, an active Sprint athlete, and Michal Smolen, an active Slalom athlete. Being a member of the AAC is an important role and we thank Kenny and Michal for volunteering to assume these positions.  Kenny and Michal are replacing Emily Wright and Brandon Holiday who recently completed their 4-year terms as ACA’s Representative and Alternate Representative.  Many thanks to Emily and Brandon for their service to the competition community.

Finally, I’d like to share a heartfelt thanks and best wishes to LeighAnn Moore, our former Insurance Coordinator, Amy Ellis, our former Membership Coordinator, and Carrie Schlemmer, our former Grant and Education Coordinator. Collectively and individually, they have made significant contributions to our community over the past several years, we will miss them, and we wish them well in their future personal and professional pursuits.

Beth Spilman

ACA Executive Director

February 10, 2021

Every year, the ACA partners with L.L. Bean to inspire and sponsor local paddling clubs to take an active role in protecting and improving our nation’s waterways. Since the program’s inception in 2002, ACA has awarded over 200 Club Fostered Stewardship grants to local grassroots organizations across the United States.

This year, we are excited and inspired about our continued relationship with L.L. Bean in light of the evolving strategic direction of their charitable giving programs. In an effort to best support L.L. Bean’s mission, and to build upon the strong existing partnerships the ACA maintains with grass roots non-profit paddling clubs in the United States, we are widening the scope of our stewardship efforts through what will now be known as the Club Fostered Community Grant Program (CFC).

Non-profits, clubs, and volunteer groups that are ultimately selected to receive a grant should demonstrate substantial and quantifiable efforts to invite and recruit a diversity of community members to CFC funded activities, projects, and programming. The goal of these intentional efforts to invite diversity into the paddling community creates a welcoming environment for potential paddlers to get involved and the opportunity to create lifelong connections to our waterways and to the larger paddling community.

Applications are being accepted from February 10th until March 1, 2021. Click here to read more information and to apply.

Written testimony can be found here.

If you'd like to watch the zoom meeting, please click here: 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TR-rYY6nr-U&feature=youtu.be

Brent Roth's testimony within the video begins at 1 hour and 23 minutes.