“Somebody’s Gotta Do It” by Charles Albright
When you see a need, you can’t just wait and hope someone else will address it. My urge for…
News
“Boy Meets Kayak and Drowns” by Michael Gray
The summer of my 21st birthday in 1981 I had my first encounter with a kayak. It was a…
“The Steak’s Sizzle” by Robert Kauffman
Like a lot of young people, my introduction to canoeing was at summer camp in the 1970s. Located in Wernersville,…
“A Lifetime of Leadership On and Off the Water” by David Mason
My journey in paddling started with a simple “mistake” my parents made — sending me to Camp High Rocks…
“Generations of Award-Winning Paddlers” by Kirk Havens
We’re deeply grateful to Kirk Havens for sharing his families story to the ACA Story Project. Dr. Kirk Havens,…
“Born in the ACA” by Marilyn Vogel
I grew up on the water near Long Island Sound, with paddling in my blood. My father was an accomplished…
“A Special Love for the French Broad River” by Marc Hunt
Marc (center) pictured with his wife Cat Pots (left) and son Colin Hunt (right). In Jane Austen’s “Pride and Prejudice”,…
U.S. Slalom Athletes Shine at Junior & U23 World Championships – Foix, France
U.S. U23 Women’s K1 Team on the podium after earning Bronze Medals in the U23 WK1 Team event at 2025…
Instructor of the Month: Dustin Miller
The American Canoe Association is proud to recognize Dustin Miller as our July Instructor of the Month! Dustin is…
USA Canoe Polo 2025 Update: National Teams Head to Pan American Championships in August
The USA Canoe Polo National Teams are preparing to compete at the 2025 COPAC Pan American Canoe Polo Championships, taking…
U.S. Team Announced for 2025 ICF Junior & U23 Canoe Sprint World Championships
Photo Credit: Gabriel Ghizila The American Canoe Association is proud to announce the athletes who will represent the United States…
“Calm Within the Chaos” by Taylor Stoudnour
BANG, CLUNK, SMACK. I hear over the torrential downpour, as I pull away from the stop sign on the…
“Hurricane Helene’s Silver Lining” by Adam Herzog
Photo Credit: Stephen McGrady “They say it’s going to be a big one,” my friend said as we looked across…
“It Started with a Merit Badge” by Bob Bofinger
Bob Bofinger and Jack Dawson competing in Slalom C2 on the Blackwater River in New Hampshire in 1995. My journey…
“Falling Into the Deep End in New York City” by Tom Potter
I knew I ‘d fallen into the deep end when I began to mark seasons by what kind of…
“Chronic Illness Took My Freedom: Kayaking Gave it Back!” by Kelly Rudolph
I came to paddling at a point in life when I knew something had to change. I was stuck —…
“Paddling: A Life Transformed” by Risa Shimoda
Risa running Lava at over 40,000 CFS on the Colorado River through the Grand Canyon in 1983. My journey into…
Congratulations to the Winners of the Paddle with a SUP Pro Video Contest!
The ACA SEIC SUP Committee is excited to announce the winners of the first-ever Paddle with a SUP Pro Video…
“Following Waters” by Brett Mayer
I started kayaking over twenty years ago. I had just finished playing college soccer and was looking for my…
“Finding Great-Grandpa’s Island: A Massasauga Adventure” by Eric Slough
The water of Lake Erie is in my veins. From splashing around on the beach at my great grandfather’s…
“Learning from the River” by Jeff Oxenford
Before becoming an ACA instructor, I’d already spent years chasing water across the country. I was paddling classic whitewater…
“The Ride of a Lifetime” by Bill Endicott
My first World Championships was in Merano, Italy in 1971, on a course going right through a gorgeous, tourist…
Victory! Public Land Sales Removed from Senate Budget Reconciliation Bill
Thanks to the powerful response from the outdoor recreation community, last night, Senator Mike Lee officially withdrew his proposal to…
Senator Mike Lee Introduces New Legislation to Sell Off Public Lands Near “Population Centers”
Public lands are the heart of America’s outdoor heritage—and they are still on the chopping block. Outdoor advocates have…
Instructor of the Month: Melissa DeMarie
The American Canoe Association is thrilled to recognize Melissa DeMarie as our Instructor of the Month for June 2025!…
2025 Wildwater National Championships Coming to the Potomac River
The 2025 USA Wildwater National Championships will take place on the Potomac River near Great Falls, Maryland, on August…
Voting Now Open: Paddle with a SUP Pro Video Contest!
Help us choose the winner! The ACA Safety Education & Instruction Council’s Stand Up Paddleboarding (SUP) Committee is excited to…
U.S. Canoe Slalom & Kayak Cross National Team Prepares for the International Race Season
Photo Credit: Eric Francis | Athlete: Tyler Westfall As the U.S. Canoe Slalom & Kayak Cross National Team sets its…
United States Kicks off International Sprint Racing Season in Europe
Coach Joe Harper on the dock with Women’s C2 (Andreea Ghizila & Audrey Harper) at the first ICF Canoe Sprint…
Instructor of the Month: John MacDonald
The American Canoe Association is proud to recognize John MacDonald as our Instructor of the Month for May 2025!…
ACA Volunteers and Partners Deliver 33 On-Water Paddling Trainings to Kick Off National Safe Boating Week
For the fourth year in a row, ACA volunteers joined forces with local paddling leaders to deliver beginner-friendly paddling…
2025 ICF Canoe Sprint World Cup Szeged | May 16-18
Photo by: C. Kasperbauer The U.S. Canoe Sprint National Team is set to kick off the international racing season at…
Paddle with a SUP Pro Video Contest
Do you love stand up paddleboarding? Have you benefited from or seen others benefit from SUP instruction and want to…
USA Canoe Slalom National Teams Announced
Athlete Ria Sribar preparing for the final weekend of Team Trials racing at OKC Riversport. Photo by: Eric Francis Montgomery,…
USA Canoe Sprint National Teams Announced for 2025 Canoe Sprint World Cups & Junior/U23 World Championships
Photo by: Cathy Kasperbauer / Athlete: Jonas Ecker The 2025 USA Canoe Sprint Team Trials, held April 14–15 at the…
2025 USA Wildwater National Team Announced
USA Wildwater Team Member Alden Henry competing in the MK1 event Following two days of spirited competition at the 2025…
ACA Welcomes New Staff to the Competition Department
Left to Right: Michele Eray (Sprint High Performance Director), Jerzy Dziadkowiec (Sprint Kayak Coach), Lee Leibfarth (Slalom Coach), and Kaitlyn…
Instructor of the Month: Karl Schmidt
Please join us in celebrating Karl Schmidt, ACA Instructor of the Month for April 2025! Karl brings more than a…
ACA Pro School Feature: Canyon River Instruction
At Canyon River Instruction (CRI), whitewater education isn’t just a service—it’s a calling. Based in Colorado and proud to be…
The Steve Kelly Standard: A Legacy Etched in Discipline and Devotion
For decades, Steve Kelly has embodied the spirit of Olympic sport—not through medals or endorsement deals, but through quiet…
Western North Carolina Paddlers Lead River Restoration Efforts After Hurricane Helene
Paddlers supporting MountainTrue cleanup efforts of the French Broad River in North Carolina In late September 2024, Hurricane Helene brought…
Announcing the 2025 Recipients of the Marge Cline Memorial Grant
Voyageur Canoe Training Program / Image Credit: Crossroads of America Council, Scouting America The American Canoe Association is proud to…
Announcing the 2025 L.L.Bean Club Fostered Community Grant Recipients
NariNauka Program 2024 / Image Credit: Canyon River Instruction The American Canoe Association, in partnership with L.L.Bean, is thrilled to…
Paddling Action Heats Up at OKC Riversport for the Second Weekend of U.S. Canoe Slalom & Kayak Cross Team Trials 2025 Pan American Championships Results
Photo Credit: COPAC Online After an exhilarating first weekend of racing at the 2025 Canoe Slalom & Kayak Cross Pan…
Kick Off Your Paddling Season at the Canoe Slalom & Kayak Cross Pan American Championships!
March 21-23, top athletes from North, Central, and South America will battle for the title of Pan American Champion…
Registration is Now Open for the USA Canoe Sprint Team Trials
The road to international competition starts here! Registration is now open for the USA Canoe Sprint Team Trials, taking…
Welcome to the Newest ACA Pro School, Paddle-N-More!
We are thrilled to welcome Paddle-N-More to the distinguished group of ACA Pro Schools! Located in the heart of New…
North Carolina Bridge Access Ban
Senate Bill 220 was filed in the legislature on February 27, 2025 by Senators Rabon, McInnis, and Britt. The legislation…
Action Alert: Staffing Cuts at Land Management Agencies
At the direction of the new administration, land management agencies, including the National Park Service (NPS) and the U.S. Forest…
ACA Executive Director, Beth Spilman, Selected to Serve on the Board of Directors of the U.S. Olympic & Paralympic Endowment
We are excited to share that Beth Spilman, the ACA’s Executive Director, was recently appointed by the National Governing Bodies…