ACA regretfully announces the cancellation of the 2020 Sprint National Championships. Though we had hoped this would not be the outcome, after receiving input from numerous stakeholders and based upon United States Olympic & Paralympic Committee (USOPC) and CDC guidelines, we have made the difficult decision to cancel this event….

The second to last day of slalom competition at the Kasai Slalom Center featured the WC-1 semifinal and final with Evy Leibfarth paddling in her last day of Olympic competition. 18 women competed in the semifinal and only the top 10 advance to the final. Due to an unfortunate 50…

The American Canoe Association apologizes to American Whitewater and the members of the whitewater paddling community who were looking forward to competing in the Gore Canyon Race this past weekend. Due to recent restrictions passed down from our insurance carrier, we were unable to provide liability insurance for this event…

…athlete representative you will engage with and understand the athletes you represent, attend relevant meetings, and relay relevant information. Facilitating athlete feedback, communicating with key stakeholders, voting on Team USA AC actions, and staying informed on bylaws and policies affecting athlete rights are all key responsibilities of the athlete representatives….

…harassment committed by some of the people who swore to protect us. These strange times are flashing a spotlight on how unevenly opportunities are distributed across our society, and on the many issues of prejudice and racism. As an athletic community built on the bedrock values of openness, inclusion, and…

…junior women’s kayak world title. With her Olympic debut only 13 days away, this final race demonstrated her talent and ability amongst world class competitors. July 10 featured the extreme slalom competition. Kaelin Friedenson won the world title in the junior men’s division, and continues to be a promising athlete…

ACA Regional Activity Council (RAC) announces the addition of a new Paddle America Club optional benefit. As an ACA affiliated Paddle America Club, your club has the option to contract with Club Express at preferred national pricing to utilize their platform for website services along with content management, membership communications…

…Association accepts the PSF program for their accreditation, so now is the time to engage with this seasonal market and make relationships in your community! One ACA program that has seen popularity and growth is the Paddlesports Safety Facilitator (PSF). SEIC Vice Chair, Trey Rouss has graciously provided a great…

This September 6-8, Blake Haxton and Jillian Elwart raced in the Paris 2024 Paralympic Games. Windy conditions characterized the three days of paracanoe racing at the Vaires-sur-Marne Nautical Stadium and Blake and Jillian both made the best of the windy course. For Blake, this was his third Paralympic Games —…

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By SEIC & Regional Activity Council (RAC) Liaison, John MacDonald Hey, ACA Instructors and Trainers! If you are looking for leads on how to grow engagement and participation in your courses, the ACA provides many opportunities to share and promote your instructional offerings. Here are some great examples: Posting a…

Everything has led to this, and it’s just the beginning. Learn more about our athletes’ dreams becoming a reality as part of Making Team USA, presented by Xfinity at teamusa.com/making-team-usa The American Canoe Association and the U.S. Olympic & Paralympic Committee have officially announced the roster of Team USA’s canoe…

…questions in advance of these sessions, please send an email to feedback@americancanoe.org. Recordings of the second session is now available. We will also create a Frequently Asked Questions page on our website. And, if there’s enough interest from our members, we will hold additional live sessions later in October.  …

…paddling clubs to take an active role in protecting and improving the nation’s waterways. Many of the stewardship needs of our nation’s waters are best addressed at the local and regional level. Paddling clubs and watershed organizations are in an ideal position to lead these efforts. These paddlers are often…

…great learning opportunity for both athletes and coaches. Assessments will include both on-water and off-water tests. The Coaching Workshop will be both a hands-on and informative style conference. Both the Assessment Camp and the Coaching Workshop will run from Saturday morning to Sunday afternoon, so travel dates would be to…

This message comes directly from our friends and partners at Outdoor Alliance (OA): “We are thrilled to share that the House just passed the Great American Outdoors Act by 310 to 107. Outdoor Alliance and the outdoor community made this victory possible. The Great American Outdoors Act will provide billions…

…love for whitewater place them in a deserved space in our community,’ shares Risa Shimoda, President of the World River Center and Class of 2010 IWHoF inductee. “Paddling, competing, innovating, and challenging our nations’ river communities to come together to highlight the importance of these stars can play an important…

…Series Championship. Gregory collected $25,000, part of a $56,350 total cash purse split among the Top 16 anglers in the tournament. In all, 164 competitors representing 30 states and Canada took part. Rus Snyders, the 2023 Champion and also an ACA Instructor presented the trophy to Gregory on a stage…

…the purposes of ACA’s insurance program, paddling clubs are defined as having dedicated individual members who: are informed and given opportunity to participate or vote upon policies and activities undertaken by the organization, receive regular communications from the organization, and renew their affiliation with the club on an annual basis….

…Commandant and the Assistant Commandant for Prevention Policy. There are some other knowledgeable and passionate paddlers and recreational boaters who have been appointed – we’re talking about you Peg Phillips – ACA kayaking instructor and recipient of the State Director of the year Award! Read more about those appointed: https://www.nmma.org/press/article/23771……

On behalf of the Packrafting Committee and the ACA SEIC Board, we’re pleased to announce the new Level 4: Whitewater Packrafting curriculum! Please check out the curriculum documentation on the ACA website. To efficiently and realistically roll out the new Level 4: Whitewater Packrafting course curriculum and instructor criteria, the…

…good steward of the environment, we feel a strong obligation to reduce the amount of paper we use and distribute. Please help us with this effort by renewing your membership online rather than by mail. Thank you again for your support. We wish you all the best, Sincerely, Beth Spilman…

…Light. Team USA Media Summit 2024 – Mental Health Panel With a heightened focus on what it means for an athlete to truly be at their best, hear from the USOPC Psychological Services Team, and some of Team USA’s best, including Nevin Harrison, about the importance of mental health care!…

Founded in 1880 by a group of 24 notable canoeists, the ACA has grown into the nation’s largest and most active nonprofit paddlesports organization with 15,000 members and over 300 Clubs and Affiliate Organizations across the United States and the world….

…of the two disciplines, but many compete in both. There are two types of boats used in whitewater canoeing: canoes and kayaks. Men and women compete in canoe singles (C-1) and doubles (C-2), and kayak singles (K-1) events. Teams are made up of three competitors in the same class (e.g.,…

…that rely on defining navigability through commerce. Unfortunately, Georgia is a state that continues to rely on outdated definitions of navigability. Essentially the term “navigability” continues to be conflated with the idea of legal passage. The paddling community prefers the two to be legally separate, but so long as they…

…profile for twelve months from the date of signing. The option to upload a scan of a signed hard copy waiver is still available. A detailed guide to the full functionality of the CMS liability waiver tool is available at www.americancanoe.org/CMS. Please be sure to read the posted “Update Bulletin…

…a member’s conduct is determined to be inconsistent with the best interest of the sport and of the athletes we are serving. The following is a list of individuals who have been suspended or are permanently ineligible from membership in the ACA. It is not intended to be a complete…

…and you inspired us all. As follow up to the conference, please share your feedback by completing this survey. It should take less than two minutes. We are committed to keeping you informed about the various initiatives discussed at this conference, primarily through our monthly newsletter, quarterly e-magazine, and social…

Day 3 of competition at the Kasai Slalom Center in Tokyo, Japan, kicked off today with the women’s single kayak (WK-1) semifinal followed by the event final. 24 women competed in the semifinal and only 10 advanced. The United States’ Evy Leibfarth finished 12th in the semifinal and will not…

The message below comes from Katie Bynum, USOPC Chief Strategy and Growth Officer. ACA Competition Members & Athletes, As we shared earlier this year following postponement of the Games, we have been working with our partners to extend their rights. This meant addressing the conflict in the airline category between…

…Republic earned the gold medal, Jakub Grigar of Slovakia won the silver, and Hannes Aigner of Germany the bronze. Slalom competition has officially concluded in Tokyo. Canoe Sprint competition will begin on August 2 at the Sea Forest Waterway. Nevin Harrison will race in the C-1 200m on August 4….

The July 2020 Edition of Paddle eMagazine has arrived! This issue contains some awesome stories, photos, and information: Updates about Camp Sebago & Sugar Island COVID-19 Guidelines for Paddling Instructors and Event Organizers CMS Userguide and New Features Paddlesports Report Video Instructors of the Month – Robert Levin & Mike…

The July 2020 Edition of Paddle eMagazine has arrived! This issue contains some awesome stories, photos, and information: Updates about Camp Sebago & Sugar Island COVID-19 Guidelines for Paddling Instructors and Event Organizers CMS Userguide and New Features Paddlesports Report Video Instructors of the Month – Robert Levin & Mike…

…people of color, and low-income families.This bill would require federal agencies to provide early and meaningful community involvement through the National Environmental Policy Act in regards to actions proposed in communities where issues of environmental justice are prevalent. In addition, the bill would provide funding to prioritize and expand access…

To request an event be included in ACA’s competition calendar, please complete our Calendar Submissions form….

…unable to perform in canoe events on the final day of competition. The Markkleeberg Word Cup was the last major senior international competition before the Tokyo Olympic Games next month, which begin on July 23. Tokyo bound athletes,Leibfarth and Smolen, progressed in their first runs of the women’s and men’s…

Dear ACA Olympic & Paralympic Community, Due to the ongoing COVID-19 outbreak and to protect the health and safety of all, the following Team qualification events contemplated in ACA’s 2020 Tokyo Olympic/Paralympic Selection Procedures have been postponed: ACA Slalom National Team Trials, Competition 1, Oklahoma City, OK, 05/02-03/2020 ACA Slalom…

…behind the paddling community. We will update membership as the situation unfolds. For more information, please consult these references: Detailed Version of 2018 Rule: 2018 Fish and Game Commission Rule Past ACA Communication on NM Stream Access: ACA New Mexico Policy Page New Mexico Supreme Court: Verified Petition of Mandamus…

The American Canoe Association is committed to sharing the joys of paddlesports with all people. Our members are united by our love of all forms of paddling recreation and competition, and we are appalled by the injustices highlighted by recent events. We believe all people deserve to have safe, accessible…

…single kayaks. While supporting the recreation goals, games were included which reinforced boat control skills. As physical disabilities are common with those with vision impairment, instructors used both Adaptive Paddling and Advanced Communication skills that were learned during ACA Universal paddling workshops. Two of the workshops were conducted at the…