Rideau Canoe Club
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The Rideau Canoe Club is a canoe club located on the Rideau River in Ottawa, Ontario, Canada. The Club is located at Mooney's Bay, where the Rideau Canal splits away from the river prior to joining up with the Ottawa River.
The Club's emphasis is on sprint canoe and kayak racing, that is, long and slender boats raced over distances up to 1000m (sometimes 6000m events are held as well). Sprint canoes and kayaks differ greatly from recreational boats in that they are designed only for speed, and have a remarkable lack of stability as a result. An experienced paddler is able to paddle at great speeds while giving the impression that the boat is in fact very stable, however, novices should expect to swim quite frequently when first attempting to paddle the racing boats.
The Club was founded in 1902 and had a clubhouse on the Rideau Canal until the 1940s, when it was destroyed by winter ice. The club was then relocated to more or less it's present location at Mooney's Bay, where it remains today.[link] A book on the history of the club has been written by member Mike Scott.[link]
Traditional events include K-1, K-2, K-4, C-1, C-2, C-4 and C-15 (War Canoe), where a K-2 is a 2 person kayak and C-4 is a 4 person canoe, etc. Several different programs are offered, encompassing children, high-performance paddlers, and Masters paddlers (age 25 and up). Dragon Boat practices and events are also held at the Club. The Club also offers courses in more conventional recreational canoes and kayaks, and is the venue for the Head of the Rideau rowing regatta, held annually in late September by the Ottawa Rowing Club.
In the winter, club members will carry out a variety of exercises in order to stay in shape and prepare for the next summer. Typically, the club will put on a weights program and a swimming program, and many members will run, cross-country ski, or skate as well.
The Club has a long history of excellent performance, having fielded many Olympians and Team Canada members over it's lifetime. The Club has won the overall Canadian Championship six times: 1924, 1925, 1927, 1973, 1985 and 2002.
External links
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