Two women outrigger teams from qathet-based Suncoast Paddling Club travelled to the World Sprint Championships in Hilo, Hawaii, in August, along with George Smith and Jim Underwood, who paddled with Vancouver Island and Vancouver men’s teams.
Club president Bruce Layzell told the Peak that paddling club members had more challenges than competing against some of the best paddlers in the world. During the team's stay in Hilo, they experienced not only hurricanes but also an earthquake, making for some challenging travel arrangements.
"Our women’s 70s team won a bronze medal in their V12 race, against some very stiff competition," said Lyzell. "Two of our Suncoast paddle [members] who live on Vancouver Island, Ruth Matson and Elaine Salemah, also paddled on an island team, the Pacific Wow, and won gold and silver medals in the 75-plus division."
Lyzell noted that Matson's granddaughter, Caileigh Filmer, won silver with the Canadian women's rowing team at the 2024 Paris Olympics, making them quite the paddling family.
"Our own Jim Underwood stayed in Hawaii after the world sprints to paddle with a Vanvouver team, in the 18-mile Queen Lili’uokalani race in Kona," said Lyzell. "Underwood won a silver medal in the men’s 40 unlimited division, with Jim steering his first open ocean outrigger race, quite the accomplishment, in very challenging conditions."
Lyzell said the race Underwood competed in is the largest outrigger race in the world, and is in honour of Queen Lili’uokalani, who was the only female Hawaiian monarch, and the last one.
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