COMPETITIVE AND INSTRUCTIONAL PADDLING

Paddling is a pillar sport of Ak-O-Mak’s sports program.  As a member of the Ontario Paddling Association, Camp Ak-O-Mak is an official Canoe Club.  All campers are instructed in the fundamentals of pleasure canoeing as this is one of our primary modes of transportation at camp!  We also provide instruction and competitive experience in sprint canoe, kayak, and war canoe.

Paddling – a perfect complement to swimming

Swimmers are a natural fit for paddling because of their upper body strength.  This advantage has often led Ak-O-Makkers to medal at regattas with novice paddlers!  Our expert coaching, longer camp sessions and war canoe tradition contribute to the rapid development of our paddlers.

Sprint canoe, war canoe, and kayaking

The definition of a canoe and a kayak differs from one country to another. In Canada, one sits in a kayak and uses a double-bladed paddle; one kneels in a canoe and uses a single bladed paddle. We train in sprint kayaking and sprint canoeing, which are also referred to as “flatwater racing.”  There are three categories of sprint canoes and kayaks:

C1: single kneeling canoe		K-1: single seat kayak
C2: double kneeling canoe		K-2: double seated kayak
C4: four person kneeling canoe		K-4: four-seated kayak

War canoe

War canoe is largely a Canadian sport and is an important part of most Canadian canoe club racing programs. A war canoe holds 15 paddlers including one coxswain, or cox, for steering. War canoe is sometimes referred to as C-15 on regatta schedules, with the “C” standing for “Canadian Canoe”.

Canoe outings and regattas

Canoe outings are fun and encourage paddlers to pull together.  Campers enjoy conversing, singing, and bonding as friends. Campers attending the 7, 4 and sometimes the 3-week camp sessions may be eligible to participate in a regatta and experience the thrill of racing against other clubs.