Ontario Regatta in Sydenham

Jeff Green | Aug 16, 2017

The Sydenham Lake Canoe Club is hosting the Ontario Under 15 Canoe and Kayaking championships this weekend, the first major regatta to be held at the renovated Point Park facility.
There is a permanent course set up in the lake off the point. Hundreds of young paddlers and their families are expected in Sydenham for the event, which is also popular with local spectators. This weekend’s championships are the fourth and final event in Eastern Ontario this summer following regattas in Carleton Place, Gananoque and North Bay. A number of young Sydenham paddlers will be ending their season on Saturday, while eight of the older athletes will be going on to Nationals in Welland.

“It takes dozens of volunteers, locals as well as others from the visiting clubs, and help from the township, to put on an event of this size, with races in so many categories,” said Helen Parfitt of the Sydenham Lake Canoe Club, “and it is a fitting end to a very good season for our club and our paddlers.”

The regatta runs all day (8am – 6pm) with the popular war canoe races taking place later in the afternoon.
“We are hoping to see locals come along to cheer our Sydenham paddlers as well as paddlers from across the province at any time during the day. It should be an exciting event,” said Parfitt.
There may also be a future star in one of the boats.

The regatta takes place just after the end of the 2017 Canada Games in Winnipeg. Sydenham’s Stephanie L’Abbe, who now races for the Ottawa River Canoe Club, won gold in the K2 1000 with partner Lexy Vincent and was part of the gold-medal winning team in the K4 500 and the silver-medal team in the K4 1000.
Will the next Stephanie L’Abbe be in one of those 12 and under races at the Point on Saturday?
Show up and find out.