Ann - Ann has been coaching dragon boat crews for the past 17 years. She has many years of experience paddling both sprint canoe and dragon boat. Ann enjoys teaching paddlers the finer skills of the sport and hopes to instill the same passion she feels for paddling. Ann has raced and medaled at 4 World Dragon Boat Championships and 3 Club Crew World Championships. Her experience and expertise will certainly benefit your team.

Ashley -

Graeme - has been a coach with the Rideau Canoe Club since 2003, when he traded in his kayak paddle for a stopwatch and clipboard. Prior to this, Graeme had been a National Champion and Canada Games medalist in Canoe/Kayak. Today, though he continues to compete in both Canoe/Kayak and Dragon Boat, his main focus is coaching. Graeme strives to get the most out of his athletes and crews by encouraging a light-hearted yet hard-working approach to training. He enjoys working with crews at all levels and hopes to work with YOU soon!

Chris - I have been paddling- mostly in kayak- at the Rideau Canoe Club for almost 10 years now. I’ve had the opportunity to compete at various levels, including at the Jr. World kayak marathon championships. Three years ago my focus changed from competition to more of the coaching side of the sport. That’s also when I had my first experience with Dragon Boat when I raced with the Events Alive crew. Having thoroughly enjoyed that experience, I've been involved with Dragon Boat, both coaching and racing, ever since. In terms of my coaching philosophy, I like to be very responsive to what my athletes/participants are looking for so whether you want intense practices in order to shave those seconds off before race-day, or you’re just looking to have some fun on the water, I’d love to help you achieve your goals. I’m looking forward to the upcoming season and can’t wait to see you all on the water!

Matthew - has paddled competitively for over 15 years and has been involved in coaching for 7 years. He was a member of the Ontario Canoe/Kayak Team for 8 years and has won a number of national championship medals in Kayaking. He is a 5 time member of the Ottawa Dragon Boat Festival’s winning team. He aims to provide a fun but challenging experience for his dragon boat crews. By using his technical knowledge, race experience and performance driven philosophy, he pushes his teams to achieve their goals.

Kris -

Gary - Gary has been coaching dragon boat crews in Canada and Australia for the past 15 years. He has many years of experience paddling both sprint canoe, dragon boat and outrigger. Gary has raced and medaled at multiple World Dragon Boat Championships and Club Crew World Championships. Gary enjoys getting the most of of teams and the smiles on the faces after a great race. He is looking forward to working with your crew.

Gilles - Gilles has been dragonboating for 11 years. He has paddled on several competitive teams, including the CSDC team that took gold at the Montreal International Dragonboat Festival in 2004 and medalled in Shanghai (2004), Berlin (2005), Toronto (2006) and Australia (2007). He has since started flatwater paddling mailnly in C-4 and Warcanoe at RCC. Gilles is also fluently bilingual. I am looking forward to another year of paddling!

Lynn - Lynn grew up at the Rideau Canoe Club, and began her coaching career in 1995. Her passion for coaching has led her to coach dragon boat, canoe/kayak and outrigger across Canada, the USA and Australia. Working with athletes, no matter what their age or level of experience and helping them define their goals and assisting in their development and transitions as a paddler has been a gratifying and inspiring experience for Lynn. She has worked directly with numerous athletes who have attended, reached finals and/or medaled at the World Championships, Pan American Championships, Canada Games, the Canadian National Championships and CanMas Championships. Lynn’s second home is on the water and she can’t wait for the season to get started!

Nick - Nicholas Deek is excited to resume his second year of coaching Dragon Boat. Having been a hard- working athlete, he strives to be a hard-working coach too. He began kayaking before the age ten and has competed provincially as well as nationally in the sport every summer since. In the past three summers he has competed in the Ottawa Dragonboat Festival. He has been taught paddling technique from many different angles and has spent years trying to master his own technique. Nick hopes to pass on his knowledge of technique, crewboat skills and racing experience to his athletes so that they can love the sport as much as he does. Nick is going into his third year of a Bachelor of Music Degree, Piano Performance at Ottawa U. in September 2012.

Diana - Diana Deek has been involved with the Rideau Canoe Club for over 13 years and is a 16 time Canadian Canoe Kayak Champion. She is currently working on her Masters degree in Sport Psychology with a focus in coach education at the University of Ottawa. She is passionate about coaching and being active outdoors.

Mark -

Sue - My devotion to dragon boat comes after many years of involvement in paddling. For 14 years I competed in sprint kayaking, won a few national titles and a couple of Olympic medals. I also tried my hand at outrigger paddling and was the first woman to compete in the challenging Molokai Outrigger Race in Hawaii. After a short break to have kids I got back on the water as a competitive dragon boat paddler. I have competed and medaled at World’s and Club Crew Championships with the Senior National Team and locally as the stroke for Events Alive. My goal is to unlock the potential in your team by making each practice fun and challenging. I believe that with effort and a strong technical focus you can get to the finish line way faster! Paddles up!

Crystal -

Scott - I have been involved with the Rideau Canoe Club for nearly 22 years, during 15 of which I paddled competitively. Having first paddled in the Bantam program, I eventually progressed all the way to Senior until retiring from competitive Sprint paddling about six years ago. Since retiring, I have become heavily involved in dragon boat as an athlete, coach and as an organizer. I have raced in local and international dragon boat regattas and continue to race every summer. The highlights of my dragon boat career have been competing for Canada at the World Championships and Club Crew World Championships. I've had the pleasure to work with some of the top teams in Ottawa and as well as teams taking their first strokes ever in a dragon boat. I wish all of you the best this year and hope to see you on the water!

Bliss -

Christine - Christine has been involved in the sport of Canoe/Kayak in different capacities – administrative, competitive member and coach for over 20 years. As a National Champion and a medal winner at Canada Games, she has several years of training experience. She grew up paddling and coaching in Toronto and first coached War Canoe crews, but started coaching and paddling Dragon Boat 6 years ago. Last season was her first season in Ottawa where she had a blast getting to meet and coach new crews and paddling with the Events Alive / Level 6 crew. Well versed and able to coach different level crews. Whether you’re looking for the ultimate challenge and hard workout, technical work or just want laid back fun, she can work with you. Dragon Boat has something to offer just about everyone!

Liz - Liz Elton paddled in the very first Ottawa Dragon Boat Festival and has been part of many dragon boat crews in Ottawa and Toronto since then.  She won gold in Berlin at the world championships in 2005 as a member of the Canadian Senior National team. She uses that experience (and her school teacher background) to help paddlers and crews stay fit, improve individual technique and group teamwork, set and work towards goals – and have fun!  Last year she co-founded and coached the very successful the Dragons for All program for adults with developmental disabilities. An active member of Rideau Canoe Club, Liz has trained and competed in sprint kayak and war canoe since 1993.

Sandra - Sandra has been a masters canoe paddler with RCC since moving to Ottawa in 2003, and has coached for the dragon boat festival for the last four summers. She was first introduced to the sport of dragon boating and sprint canoe racing in Thunder Bay in 1999 by way of war canoe. Sandra works as Geographical Information Systems software consultant in Ottawa, but would prefer to chat about paddling adventures or her dog then work!

Wade -

Brian - This will be Brian's third year coaching dragon boat. He has been a Rec paddler for about 12 years and steering for 7 years. He began flatwater canoe 4 years ago and will be taking up kayak this season as well as looking forward to another few trips up and down the river in a war canoe. It is all about the footwear. Brian is looking forward to another season of having fun on the water.

Steph -

Mark -

James - Hey fellow dragon boaters, my name is James and I have been paddling at the Rideau Canoe Club for a bit over 10 years now; for the most part in the discipline of sprint canoe. My introduction into the dragon boat community happened a few years ago when I first took part in the Ottawa Dragon Boat festival with the Events Alive Team, and lets just say I haven't looked back. I am fairly new to the coaching field, but I have learned a lot from our amazing coaches both through feedback and side by side practices. Also, my experience in high performance paddling with my own variety of coaches has given me a natural sense of coaching techniques that I have found easy to transfer over to dragon boat racing. Dragon boat racing is a great sport to be involved in, since it provides a great aerobic workout and an amazing sense of teamwork. I look forward to meeting you guys this paddling season.

Keane - Keane has a wide range of paddling expertise. As an athlete, Keane paddled in the sport of Canoe and Kayak for 18 years and dragon boating for 15 years. During this time he has won multiple medals at Canadian National Championships and various other regional championships. In 1997 he was asked to carry the flag from his home province Saskatchewan at the Canada Summer Games. Keane’s coaching experience has spanned more than 12 years. With the Wascana Racing Canoe Club he has trained multiple athletes that have become Canadian national champions with some going on to compete internationally. His competitive dragon boat teams have competed and won all over Western Canada and internationally. In 2007, after moving to Dubai, Keane help found the sport of dragon boating in the Middle East. As the Coach and one of the founders of the Dubai Flying Dragons (http://www.dubaiflyingdragons.com/), he led and paddled with his team in Hong Kong, Singapore, Hungary, Dubai and Abu Dhabi. In 2008, his team represented the UAE at the Club Crew World Championships in Penang, Malaysia. In 2009, Keane left the UAE and the Dubai Flying Dragons to represent Canada as a diplomat at our Embassy in Kabul, Afghanistan. Now that he has returned to Canada, Keane wishes to put his skills and knowledge to the test with Ottawa’s dragon boat community.

Jane - Jane has been a member of the Rideau Canoe Club since 2004 when she started the bantam program. Since then, she has competed at the regional, provincial and national level. She is currently a member of the Ontario U23 Development Team and the Ontario Pre-Canada Games Team. For the past two years she has also been involved in the Youth Dragon Boat challenge, helping to coach her high school dragon boat team. Her favourite colour is purple!

Cameron - My name is Cameron Marcus I have been apart of the Rideau Canoe club for 8 years and have grown to love the sport of canoe kayak. I was first introduced to dragon boat when I competed in the Ottawa Dragon boat festival three years ago. Being an elite athlete in sprint canoe and a national medalist I look forward to helping out and making it a great dragon boat season.

Galia - I have been paddling for the Rideau Canoe Club for 8 years now and I still love training and competing in my kayak all year round. I have been to 4 National Championships earning 4 medals, and I am also on the Ontario CanoeKayak Team. Apart from kayaking, being a part of the RCC allows me to paddle war canoe and of course dragon boat as well. This will be my first year coaching dragon boat and I look forward to motivating teams to work hard and to have fun!

Brandon - This will be Brandon's seventh year competing with the Rideau Canoe Club. He is a gold medalist at the national level and has won multiple medals both provincially and regionally in Canoe/Kayak. He is currently on the Ontario Development Team and has competed, steered, and cheered at the Ottawa Dragon Boat Festival for many years! He is looking forward to making this the best dragon boat year ever!

Kaitlin - Having grown up and competed in a canoeing atmosphere, in the past few years Kaitlin has made the switch over from striving for competing herself to coaching others to achieve their goals in not only Canoe/Kayak, but Dragon Boat too. Having been exposed to many different coaching styles and philosophy over the years, Kaitlin is optimistic that she can adjust her training programs to the level and attitude of her teams in order to optimize the experience for everyone. This will be her second year coaching through Rideau Canoe Club and she is looking forward to the enthusiastic, rich atmosphere of the program and those who come out for practice as well.

Lynn - Lynn has enjoyed competing in many sports but has been most successful in running and paddling. Lynn paddled in her first National Championship for Carleton Place in the war canoe at the age of 10. She paddled as a National Team Kayaker in her late teens and early twenties. She has competed internationally as a masters in both kayaking, canoeing and dragonboating. She was on the Canadian Senior Canadian Dragonboat team for 5 years and medalled at the world championships in Shanghai, Berlin, Toronto and Sydney. Is currently paddling with a Grand Masters Dragonboat team to qualify for the worlds in Tampa next summer. Lynn has also run 9 marathons including running Boston twice. She has always had a passion for paddling, enjoys coaching and wants to see people be successful in achieving their goals in paddling whatever that may be for each individual or team....

Rob - I have canoed at the Rideau Canoe Club for eight years and have competed at Nationals every year since 2003. I have coached at the club in several different programs for the last three years. In September I will be back at Carleton for my third year of Biomedical and Mechanical Engineering. I can't wait to coach your crew this year!

Marta - My name is Marta and I have been involved in the sport of Canoe Kayak for the past 5 years. I am primarily a High Performance sprint kayaker with racing experiences and medals from the regional, provincial and national level. I also have been a coach in various canoe/kayak programs varying in age groups and skills. Originally from Mississauga, I have made the switch and commitment to the Rideau Canoe Club last summer and thus far have enjoyed my time here immensely. Although most of my Dragon Boating coaching experience has been with elementary and high school teams, last summer provided me with the opportunity to work along side more seasoned coaches and experienced teams. With each practice I attend whether it be as a coach or an athlete I have learned and been exposed to new methods and approaches to paddling technique. My background has allowed me to assess and apply different coaching methods and training programs to both individual paddlers as well as both recreational and highly competitive teams. This, coupled with my own determination in producing the best result I can, allows me to apply and share what I know wholeheartedly. I look forward to being a liaison into the unique racing experiences of the paddling world and to provide a fun experience for all!