Gold at Burnwater Sprints
At our tent site location at the end of a great day of racing! (Missing our coach Denise, and teammate Linda)
On May 2, Inlet Spirit Paddling Society marked an exciting milestone at the Burnwater Spring Sprints on False Creek—entering our first-ever women’s team into competition.
This dedicated group of athletes has been training primarily as a mixed crew and had just one practice together as a women’s boat leading into race day. Despite that, they delivered an outstanding performance. To add to the challenge, approximately eight of these women were also racing in the mixed crew, making for a fast-moving day that required quick turnarounds and seamless transitions between races.
Across the day, both our mixed and women’s crews competed in three races each, gaining valuable race experience and momentum.
Strong Results Across the Board
After an action-packed afternoon, the results were both satisfying—and a little surprising.
Our mixed crew captured Gold in the Division F Final, posting their fastest time of the day at 00:52.240—a fantastic achievement and a great benchmark to build on.
Equally impressive was the performance of our women’s team. In their debut event, they powered their way into the Grand A Final, finishing 6th overall out of 24 teams and overtaking two crews in the final. Their fastest time of the day was 00:56.905, an incredible result for a newly formed lineup.
Team Effort and Firsts to Celebrate
A big thank you goes out to our steersperson Jason, who expertly guided both crews throughout the day, drummers Trish and Sandra, and to our race manager Paul for keeping everything organized and on track.
We also want to recognize our first-time racers—Corneliu, Meaghan, and Daisy—who stepped up and contributed to a strong team performance. Congratulations on your race debut!
And a special nod to our incredible coach Denise. In a fun twist, our women’s crew found themselves racing against Denise in the Grand A Final—a testament to the strength of the competition and the quality of coaching that has helped get us to where we are today.
A Meaningful Setting
Adding to the occasion, race day coincided with the 40th anniversary of Expo 86—a fitting backdrop, as the event took place in the very waters where that iconic world exposition once welcomed the globe.
We’re incredibly proud of our athletes for embracing new challenges, supporting one another, and representing Inlet Spirit with determination and heart. This milestone race is just the beginning, and we’re excited for what lies ahead this season.
Next up is the Vessi 500s on May 30!
Coach Denise bringing the big news, that the women will be competing against her in the A Final!