Author: Graeme Galves

The purpose of the Hugh Town Memorial Builder Award is to recognize volunteers who have made significant and exemplary contributions to the Outrigger Canoe Racing Discipline of Canadian Outrigger Racing Association (“CORA”) within Canada in the Builder Category.

The CORA Board has approved Policy and Procedure relating to selection and awarding and administering the Award as per the Hugh Town Memorial Builder Award Policy.

The Hugh Town Memorial Builder Award is awarded after the CORA AGM. The CORA Board has reviewed nominations received for the past season and has recognized Hugh Fisher of Pemberton Canoe Association as the 2025 recipient of the Hugh Town Memorial Builder Award.

Hugh Fisher has a 40+ year legacy of selfless volunteer effort to paddlesports in general and outrigger canoe racing in particular. Hugh has made contributions to support Canadian paddlers at the international, national, provincial, and club level. Hugh has been part of False Creek (FCRCC) as the first outrigger canoeing club in Canada, as one of the three “Founding Fathers” of CORA, and founder of Pemberton Canoe Association (PCA) as the third outrigger canoeing club in Canada. Hugh has made significant contributions to the birth and growth of outrigger canoeing nationwide across Canada.

For more information about the Hugh Town Memorial Builder Award, CLICK HERE

CORA introduced a new initiative for 2022 at the CORA 2021 Pre-AGM that had been continued 2023-2025. To encourage participation by new paddlers at CORA 2025 events, a new Junior / Novice OC Paddle Draw Grant was funded. Every Junior / Novice participant at each CORA Cup Series 2025 event was given 1 entry for the end-of-season draw. It was possible for each Junior / Novice participant to have up to a maximum of 5 entries for the end-of-season draw. The response was impressive with 183 entries in total from 14 Western Canada OC clubs. There were at least 10 entries in each of the Junior Women, Junior Men, Novice Women, and Novice Men divisions such that 2 winners were drawn from each of these 4 divisions.

The Courtenay and District Fish & Game Protective Association Clubhouse overlooking Comox Lake was an excellent venue to showcase the CORA Perpetual Trophies (Peter Forand Masters Challenge; Hugh Town Memorial Builder), the Canadian Outrigger Hall Of Fame Commemorative Awards for the eight 2024/2025 Inductees (Daphne Ann Brockington; Helen Currey; Jacinta Sheridan; James Hill; Jan Chavarie; Linda Daigle; Melanie Conard; Sue Milligan), and the sample Junior / Novice OC Paddle along with the 8 Gift Certicates.

Canadian Outrigger Hall Of Fame 20254/2025 Inductee Sue Milligan of Suncoast Paddling Club / Powell River Outrigger Canoe Society presented a collection of photos representative of the career of Marc Lavertu and accepted the Hugh Town Memorial Builder on behalf of 2024 Recipient Marc Lavertu, who was unable to attend the proceedings.

CORA wishes to extend a round of appreciation to Oddball Workshop, our generous sponsor / partner, for contributing Gift Certificates for each of the 8 Junior / Novice winners to redeem for a paddle of a length of their choosing within 1 year from the end-of-season draw date (27-Sep-2026).

CORA wishes to congratulate the 8 Junior / Novice 2025 OC Paddle winners:

• Desmond McCall – (Comox)
• Mika Asano – (Lotus)
• Jasper Morris – (Geronimo)
• Emie Ransom – (Kelowna)
• Paige Emanuel – (Latitude 48)
• Mark Oluic – (False Creek)
• Marika Anderson – (Edmonton)
• Erik Baldwin – (Kelowna)

CORA wishes to extend a round of appreciation to the Race Coordinators (Jackie Bell; Dean Dougherty; Don Mulhall; Launa Mandrell; Cheryl Bublitz; Carole Fullerton; Jan Chavarie) from CORA Cup Series host clubs Comox (twice), Penticton; Fort Langley, and Jericho, as well as the CORA Club Reps who collected the names of Junior / Novice participants at these 5 events, and forwarded these entries onto the CORA Board for the draw at the Comox Awards presentation.

Comox Valley Canoe Racing Club

Penticton Paddle Sports Association

Fort Langely Canoe Club

Jericho Paddling Club