My sprint kayaking journey started three years ago when I was barely eleven. My mom has a knack for (safely) throwing my siblings and me into water activities because she can’t swim herself and wants us to always feel safe and confident in the water. That’s how I ended up joining River Town Racers, a youth sprint kayaking club in Petaluma, CA.
I was the only girl in the introduction camp. Sprint kayaking was nothing like the kayaking I’d done before. I watched other campers tip over again and again. I felt so proud that I didn’t — until my coach made me! I even earned the “Speed Demon” award that week. But that pride faded fast when I realized my small size and light weight probably helped more than any skill I had back then.
Nature and sprint kayaking have a way of keeping my ego in check. My first real wipeout happened on one of the coldest days of my first winter. With numb fingers, I paddled in the dark against icy wind and rain hitting my face. When a gust flipped me over, I floated there forever (really just a few minutes) before I finally found my voice to yell for help. I hated the cold, the sport, and my mom that day. There were plenty of winter evenings when I would rather be home, but I (or my mom) always made myself show up because my coaches showed up for us. Surviving that first winter—and every one since—became a badge of honor. My teammates and I love to outdo each other with the worst winter story.
As I leveled up, training got tougher and races more intense. My last race was the Ted Houk Regional Regatta in Seattle, where our RTR bantam girls crushed it. For the first time, I felt the wild rush of having smooth starts and realizing no one was ahead of me—but also a tiny panic because I didn’t know how hard to push with no one to chase. I was excited (and a little shocked!) to win four first-place medals. But what mattered most was being proud of my teammates and representing River Town Racers, Petaluma, and everyone who keeps us paddling.
None of this would be possible without my community: my family, coaches, teammates, supporters, and even you reading this. My parents work very hard so my brothers and I can paddle. My coaches push us, cheer for us, and even help fundraise to keep us going. My teammates are my best friends—we share hot chocolate after freezing practices, race barefoot across scorching asphalt to Baskin Robbins, and play games (no phones!) together in between races. Those in-between moments are what I cherish most. I’m especially grateful I get to share it all with my brothers (don’t tell them!). They joined RTR after me and kept the “Speed Demon” legacy alive too.
Thank you, ACA, for giving young athletes like me these opportunities. I honestly can’t imagine my life without paddling.
Thank you to Kianna Morse for sharing her voice and perspective with the ACA Story Project. We chose to publish Kianna’s story today—on the 145th anniversary of the American Canoe Association’s founding—as a nod to the future of paddlesports. Many of the legends we’ve featured in this series first discovered paddling at summer camp or in youth programs. Kianna represents the next generation of paddlers whose relationships with the water are just beginning.
We’re honored to support and celebrate young paddlers like Kianna, and we are deeply grateful for her courage, humor, and heart in sharing her story. Here’s to the next 145 years—and to all the “Speed Demons” yet to come.
About the Author
Kianna has been an ACA member since 2022 and is a standout young athlete with the River Town Racers in Petaluma, California. At just 14 years old, her dedication to sprint kayaking, her teammates, and the water is both inspiring and refreshing.
