The rushing waters of the Tamihi Rapids on the Chilliwack River set the stage for a thrilling weekend of elite paddling as the Canadian National Team Trials for Canoe Slalom were held May 3 and 4. Hosted by the Chilliwack Centre for Excellence (CCE) Paddling Club, the event drew approximately 40 athletes from across the country, each competing for a coveted spot on the national team.
Local paddlers aged 11 to 21 took to the challenging course, showcasing their skills and determination before a cheering crowd. Saturday’s races also doubled as an International Canoe Federation (ICF) ranking event, adding an extra layer of competition and prestige.
Among the standout performances were Canada’s 2024 Olympians, Alex Baldoni and Lois Betteridge, who both claimed victories in their respective kayak divisions. Betteridge further dominated by also winning the women’s canoe category, while Tyler Gevaert topped the men’s canoe field.
A highlight for the Chilliwack paddling community came with the announcement that 16-year-old local athlete Michal Smiesko earned a spot on the junior national team. Michal will represent Canada at the 2025 ICF Junior World Championships this July in France. This achievement follows his gold-medal win in the junior men’s division at the 2025 Pan American Championships held earlier this year in Montgomery, Alabama.
The trials capped off a busy paddling calendar in Chilliwack, following the annual Rich Weiss Memorial Race on April 27. That event, also hosted by the CCE, saw Alberta’s Trevor Boyd take top honours in the men’s kayak, with Ontario’s Paige Cartwright winning the women’s division. In the canoe events, Ontario siblings Isaac and Paige Zimmerman swept the men’s and women’s titles.
With national pride and international ambitions on the line, the Tamihi Rapids once again proved to be a proving ground for Canada’s top canoe slalom talent — and a source of pride for the Chilliwack paddling community.
