Boudens claims National Title - August 2nd, 2010

Minden, ON - Canoe Slalom enthusiasits couldn't have asked for better conditions this past weekend at the 2010 Canoe Slalom National Championships. With the sun shining directly down on the Gull River in Minden, ON, athletes from across the country were blessed with ideal race conditions in what proved to be very exciting competition. With Saturday hosting the Junior, Masters, and Cadet category races, and Sunday hosting the Senior/Open category races, fans were provided with a full weekend of racing. 

On Saturday, Junior National Team member Michael Tayler stole the show with a double gold performance in the Junior K1-M and C1-M category. Fellow national team teammates Jazmyne DenHollander and Alexandra McGee won the Junior K1-W and C1-W categories respectively. Liam Smedley (ON) and Idan Wollach (AB) paired up and took home gold in the Junior C2 category. In the Cadet category (U-15), Maxime LeBeouf, a rising star out of Quebec won the K1-M race, Leanne Colbeck (Ottawa, ON) won the K1-W race, and Emily Greve (Strathroy, ON) won the C1-W race. 

Sunday hosted the Open (Senior-class) race. All eyes were on John Hastings, who after finishing 8th overall on the 2010 World Cup circuit, would battle against five-time Olympian and multiple and reigning National Champion David Ford for this years coveted National Championship title. In the end, after some very strong racing by all, Ford beat Hastings by 1.3 seconds for the gold. Edmonton's Ben Hayward, who finished 13th at the 2009 World Championships took home silver, leaving Hastings with the bronze. 2008 Olympian Sarah Boudens claimed her second National Championship title in the K1-W class, edging out Ottawa's Thea Froehlich, and fellow national team teammate Jessica Groenenveld. Cam Smedley took home gold in the C1-M class, and also in the C2-M class. As per new ICF rules, athlete can now compete in more than one discipline. So, Smedley paired up with teammate Ben Hayward and together the crew took home gold in the C2-M class just ahead of Alberta's Purcell/Purcell crew, and Ottawa's Cutts/Cutts crew. In the C1-W class, national team member Sindy Audet paddled to her first national championships title.   

Big thanks going out to all the volunteers at Whitewater Ontario for hosting such an incredible event. 

Results:

Saturday Race (Juniors/Cadets/Masters)

Sunday Race (Senior/Open)

Other results from this year

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