Canoe Racing: The Competitor's Guide to Marathon and Downriver Canoe Racing [Anglais] [Broché]

Welcome to the world of canoe racing and the Second Edition of the Competitor’s Guide to Marathon and Downriver Canoe Racing. It has been more than twelve years since Dick Mansfield and I first got together and discussed the idea of writing a book about the sport of canoe racing. We recognized at the time that there was an information gap, and there was nowhere a new entrant into the sport could find the basic information he or she needed to get started.

We went ahead with our project and were pleased to see that our book was well received. We have been pleasantly surprised, however by the steady demand for the book over the years.

The last twelve years have seen significant developments in the sport of canoe racing, and considering the continued demand for information on this fascinating sport, Dick and I realized that it was time for a second edition.

One of the major changes in the sport of canoe racing has been the dramatic increase in usage of the 3 x 27 "proboat" in all classes. In the early 1990’s, the 3 x 27 canoe was still associated with "pro" racing and was thought to be too tippy for the average racer.The past twelve years have seen at least three important shifts that have changed this attitude. First, the old distinctions that used to be drawn between "pro" and "amateur" classes have essentially disappeared. Many races now provide some sort of monetary prizes, and there is a much broader range of paddlers entering these races. Second, the United States Canoe Association (USCA) has taken the bold step of allowing the 3 x 27 canoe, along with the traditional USCA cruiser, in all of its canoe classes. Third, as more and more paddlers of all abilities have tried the 3 x 27 canoe, they have found that its numerous advantages far outweigh the slight increase in instability over the USCA cruiser.The end result is that the 3 x 27 canoe is quickly becoming the C-2 choice for most paddlers in the majority of races.

One particular technological advance has changed the face of canoe racing: this is the integrated sliding seat/foot brace that is now standard in most C-1’s and in the stern seat of C-2’s. The older designed seats in C-1’s and C-2’s required the racer to set up the canoe at a particular trim point prior to the race. This position could not be altered without sliding forward and creating an uncomfortable leg position. In C-2’s the only paddler that could move in his seat with any effectiveness during the race was the bow paddler.With the advent of the integrated sliding seat and foot brace, where both the seat and foot brace move forward and back as a unit, C-1 paddlers and stern paddlers can now dramatically change trim on the fly during races, adjusting the trim of the canoe to changing race course conditions. This enables racers not only to go faster under specific conditions, but also to paddle safer, particularly in rough water.

"Working the seat" is now part of the lexicon of canoe racers.

Another important trend which has occurred over the last twelve years has been the reduction in blade size used by most paddlers. This is due in part to the fact that modern blade designs are more efficient, and therefore it takes less surface area to get the same solid catch. Part of this trend is also due to the fact that racers tend to be favoring a higher stroke rate. A quicker stroke tempo demands a quicker entrance and exit, and the smaller blades facilitate this. Parallel with this trend, and consistent with the higher stroke rates observed on the race circuit, has been a somewhat shortening in paddle shaft lengths. While the majority of paddlers primarily used 50 to 52 inch shafts, now the most popular shaft lengths tend to be between 48 and 51 inches.

Finally, more and more women are turning to the sport of canoe racing. This may be due to the fact that canoe racing requires a good strength to body weight ratio, and women can possess this trait as well as men. It may also be that canoe racing emphasizes "core strength," which most physiologists have recognized to be the foundation of any solid fitness program today. Good "core strength" emphasizes muscles of the back and abdomen, so for women, as well as men, canoe racing is a great way to get in shape and stay in shape.

So welcome to the Second Edition of "Canoe Racing." Dick and I have worked hard to find new photographs and update the information where appropriate. We hope that both aspiring canoe racers and experienced racers alike will find it as helpful as others have found it during the last twelve years. Keep the hammer down.

Peter Heed, May, 2004