Quick Canoe Report: Summer 2025
2025 marked the 28th year (maybe 29!) of the canoe portion of the club running twice- or three-times-weekly coaching and practice sessions from May through August. Much has changed over the years, yet much has stayed the same.
In the early days, I hauled multiple loads of canoes to each practice on my truck. Life became easier when the club purchased a canoe trailer—one trip instead of many. Things improved again when Nicole Boyd arranged for a sea can with canoe racks, a huge positive shift for the program.
Shifts Over the Years
For most of those years, I focused on marathon canoeing technique. At times, we experimented with sprint canoe and kayak, even hosting a Provincial Youth Championship. For several years, dragon boating drew big interest—at its peak, we had 85 kids participating, and Parry Sound placed up to eight junior paddlers on the Canadian national dragon boat team.
But in the end, the club always circled back to marathon paddling—the foundation of what we do today.
About Marathon Paddling
Marathon paddling can be done in racing canoes (singles or doubles) or recreational canoes. Events separate paddlers by boat class, which often reflects skill level—faster paddlers gravitate to faster boats. Races typically welcome kayaks, SUPs, and other craft as well.
For those who don’t know: marathon canoeing is technically more challenging than recreational paddling. Forget the J-stroke (it slows you down). Instead, steering involves side-switching, leaning, draw strokes, and subtle techniques that are tricky to describe. Once paddlers master the basics, they progress to boat-handling—riding wash, cornering in groups, paddling in shallow or moving water (though not whitewater).
Racing adds another layer: preparing for hours-long events. This means learning how to stay comfortable (avoiding blisters), eating and drinking properly, dressing right, and handling the mental battles that come mid-race. It even extends to the practical—what to do when nature calls or how to get along with your partner when fatigue sets in!
Our 2025 Season
This summer’s paddling group was small but diverse: a mix of teenagers, adults, and even Bill, a skilled visually impaired paddler. We met Mondays and Thursdays at 5:30 on the town river to work on technique, boat-handling, and sometimes just to mess around in canoes.
Everyone improved a lot and, hopefully, had fun doing it.
Several of us also entered races:
- Parry Sound 50 at Nine Mile Lake (48–50 km, with 5 km and 17 km options). Ewan and Lily raced—and won—the 17 km C2 event!
- Marsh Mash 28 km – won a class.
- Saugeen River 20 km – won a class.
- Wallaceburg 20 km.
- North Bay to Mattawa 64 km – my personal favourite.
- Possibly the Collingwood race in October.
Closing Thoughts
The club has always run races in different formats, but lately the Parry Sound 50 has become our signature event, drawing paddlers from across southern Ontario.
Looking back, 2025 was a season of focused learning, racing, and camaraderie. Everyone grew their skills, tested themselves, and kept alive the tradition that has been running for nearly three decades.
We welcome everyone to join us, discover why we love playing on the water, and be part of the tradition that keeps our paddles moving forward.
General Info
Georgian Nordic Paddling, part of the Georgian Nordic Outdoor Activity Centre, runs a paddling program during May, June, July and August. Practices are at 5:30 p.m. on Mondays and Thursdays at the William Street Park.
Note that times may change based on numbers. And if you can’t attend all the sessions, no problem. We encourage you to join anyway.
The focus is on teaching marathon canoe racing and this primarily involves boat-handling skills at a higher level than is required for recreational canoeing or tripping, although, of course, these skills are very useful for non-competitive canoeing.
Marathon canoeing is a style of paddling as much as a competitive discipline. The focus is on efficient boat control and efficient stroke mechanics. The techniques are applicable to any canoeing, from racing or tripping in recreational canoes or racing canoes.
Races are generally 15 to 60 kilometres, sometimes with shorter race classes for less-experienced paddlers. The longest race in Ontario is the 200-kilometre Kingston to Ottawa (K2O) race.
Other paddling instruction is also available, including for kayaking.
Gord Cole is the coach, and he's sometimes aided by experienced participants and guest coaches. Gord is a certified marathon coach and a certified dragon-boat coach. He's been coaching marathon canoeing for more than 25 years, racing marathon canoes for about 35 years and has been canoeing in general for decades, winning his first men’s canoe race in 1968.
Gord has won a dozen provincial C1 championships, a couple of C2 championships, several national age-group championships and one world age-group championship in marathon.
Padding Program Passes - Information
Georgian Nordic Paddling supplies boats and paddles. You must be able to swim and you must bring an approved PFD (lifejacket).
Program Pass price is $75, which covers insurance and equipment. Registration is now open: https://zone4.ca/register.asp?id=35103&lan=1&cartlevel=1
Contact Us
Need more information? Please contact Gord Cole: 705-774-3191 aquacage@vianet.ca
You can also follow our activities on Facebook or Instagram.
Thanks and happy paddling!