VICTORIA, April 30, 2008…The 9th Annual Brotchie Reach Outrigger Canoe Races, with up to 200 paddlers from Vancouver Island and the Mainland, kicks off this weekend at the Gorge Rowing and Paddling Centre.

This is a partially open water race with crews starting at GRPC and then paddling in open water out to the Brotchie Reach Navigational marker and back. Conditions range from small to medium chop throughout the day, making the race a little more interesting for advanced crews and providing a fun and safe challenge for more inexperienced teams.  

Saturday races will be the OC6 (6 person outrigger canoes) with the Women’s race starting at 10am, Men’s at 11:30am, and Mixed (3 Women, 3 Men) at 1pm.  The race will take crews anywhere from 45 minutes to 1 hour and 15 minutes. Crews have been training since the fall (2007) and are fit and prepared for this distance race.  

Sunday morning will see a variety of small boats battle it out over the same course. Boat types will include OC1s, OC2s, kayaks and surf skis. The small boat race will start at 10am.

For more information, please contact the Gorge Rowing and Paddling Centre at 250-380-4669/250-380-4668 or visit www.gorgerowingandpaddling.com.