OUR 2008 EXECUTIVE:
President: Denys Lawrence
Vice President: Lorellei Sullivan
Secretary: Donna LePape
Treasurer: Shawn Tozer
Outrigger Rep: TBA
Member at Large: TBA
Directors:
Race Director: Lorellei Sullivan
CORA Rep: Denys Lawrence

OUR BEGINNING:
Most of you visiting this page have an understanding of how outrigger canoeing spread and flourished in the Polynesian culture. Some of you may even be aware of the history of dragonboat racing as part of Chinese Heritage. What we are sure you want to know is....

How did Dragon Boats and Outriggers find their way on to Okanagan Lake ?

In 1992, Cheryl Skribe and her husband Harold Shim decided to pack in the big city life of Vancouver and slow down their pace in Vernon. You know the routine, "Lets get out of the city, change our lifestyle, get to a smaller community and enjoy the outdoors!" They had it mostly right as it is difficult to find a place anywhere that can top Vernon for all season fun and outdoor activity. One small glitch, however, they didn't realize how much they would miss their paddling!
Making friends came easy for Cheryl and Harold, so it didn't take long for them to come up with the idea "Hey, all these cross country skiers would make great paddlers!"
After many, many volunteer hours put in by Cherl, Harold and many newcomers to the sport like Ron Metza, Theresa Korobanik, Billy & Kristy Charlton, Dave & Pauline Chambers, Guy Paulson, Valaine Anonson, Denys & Monika Lawrence, Bob & Michelle Woodman, Steven & Dawn Dixon... just to name a few of the originals, the Vernon Racing Canoe Club was born!
As time moved on, the faces and names of people taking on active roles developing the club has changed. The spirit, however, has stayed the same..... HAVE FUN AND RACE HARD!
As these things sometimes happen, Cheryl and Harold parted ways. Harold left Vernon to pursue other interests. (We all miss him and love it when he comes to visit.) Cheryl carried on and helped develop the club to the level it is at today...70 members strong!
Our compound is now loaded with 2 Baby Dragonboats, 3 OC-6's, 1 OC-2, and 1 OC-1. Many of the club members have bought their own OC-1's & 2's for training and racing.
To say the least, Vernon has the paddling bug!

We look forward to meeting new people to try our sport for themselves.
Please do contact us for more information ! We'd love to hear from you !

PADDLES UP!
CLUB HIGHLIGHTS:
1999 Success Story:
WHAT A YEAR!!!!
The Club achieved all its goals and more! David and Bob found out how much fun it can be racing a single from Catalina to Dana Point. (Thanks Tim and Lisa Canoe Sports California) Penticton did end up with one of our Rhino’s. Penticton loves it and it helped us buy our new Advantage ( Thanks James and Lynne, Western Canoeing, great boat!). The great relationship we have with our fellow Okanagan Club in Penticton continues to foster as their club grows and develops. Our OC-1 and 2 arrived and are huge hits with all the members. Now everyone can realize the benefits of training in the small boats. (Thanks John and Inez, Hawaiian Designs, great boats!) Norm Chow and Denys Lawrence did an awesome job with the Dragon Boat Team netting a second place in Vancouver and third in Kelowna. Following in the Dragon Boat example the Outrigger crews put together an impressive season. The Juniors won three of the four available national titles. The Masters Women made their trip to Catalina, bringing home a second place trophy and the VRCC Mixed crew surprised a lot of people with first at Lotus followed by a couple thirds in Kamloops and Vernon. Our Long distance race was bigger, better, more fun, however a bit wetter than years before. Keep an eye on the schedule, we are targeting Aug. 12th 2000 for our next race. There are some interesting plans for prizes in the works.
1999 Expectations:
Lots of plans for this year. Masters Womens team training for Catalina. David and Bob heading to Catalina to try again at an OC-1 Two Man Team Race. (Flat water we hope!) Selling one of the old Rhino's to Penticton club. Thanks to Ken Crombie, they look better than when we bought them! Ordering an OC-1 and OC-2 from John and Inez Martin of Hawaiian Designs. Norm Chow heading up and revitalizing the Dragon Boat Teams. Planning for a new OC-6; we like the Western Canoeing "Advantage". Hosting the Long Distance Change Race, August 14th. Could end up being an unofficial NorAm if enough US teams show up.
1998:
Back to Vancouver for the International Dragon Boat Festival. The Canadian Championship Long Distance Outrigger Race is again held in Vernon. Huge success, great party! Cheryl steers her Outrigger team to a respectable 12th place in Molokai. Darren Derochie, former Olympic Cross Country skier and VRCC member is hired as the Competitive Team Coach. The VRCC Womens team hammers everybody at every Canadian event for the year and finishes as the reigning Iron and Long Distance Champions. We say good-bye and good luck to Darren and Cheryl for their move to Kamloops for Cheryl's new job posting.
1997:
A big year for the club! Two new OC-6's and a permanent home at Paddle Wheel Park on Okanagan Lake. The VRCC Junior Womens team coached by Ken Crosby, is unbeatable. They end up National Champions and threaten the top Open Womens team in most races. Another Dragon Boat Corporate Challenge. More and new Dragon Boat paddlers join and compete in Vancouver. Bob Woodman and David Chambers get a taste of reality crossing the Kaiwi Channel in the OC-1 Two Man Team race. ("David! What have we gotten ourselves into? This is like being a novice rock climber and heading for Everest!") Cheryl Skribe (now Derochie) and Michelle Woodman from VRCC compete on a team that places fourth in Catalina. Vernon hosts the Canadian Long Distance Championships.
1996:
Another crew goes back to Kona. This is to good of an experience not to share. This time it is the 25th anniversary and 147 womens crews and 182 mens line up on the starting line. The first Dragon Boat Corporate Challenge is organized and comes off a huge success. New members as well as old head off to Vancouver for more of the Internationl Dragon Boat Festival. This event is also reaching gargantuan proportions, with teams attending from all over the world. 		1995:
Another Rhino is purchased from a California Club, Hanohano Outrigger Canoe Club. (Thanks Egon Horcajo!) Kona and the Queen Lili'uokalani. The Vernon group get a taste of what real Outrigger is all about. The Dragon boat teams keep going back for the fun and excitement in Vanouver.
1994:
VRCC purchases its first OC-6, a Rhino from Kahakai Outrigger Canoe Club of California. (Thanks Ted Ralston!) The first Long Distance Lake Race is organized with teams from Vancouver and Whistler attending. The women paddle from Vernon to Kelowna, a distance of 30 miles, and the men paddle from Kelowna to Pentiction, 40 miles. The Dragon boat teams continue to impress at the Vancouver Festival. Compared to most of the top teams, Vernon is giving up 25 to 30 lbs per paddler, and yet manages to consistently reach the final in their divisions. Cheryl heads to Molokai with some Vancouver buddies and takes fourth in the crossing. A mens crew travels to our first Catalina Crossing.
1993:
More and greater success at the Vancouver Dragon Boat Festival. The famous Burard OC-6 is borrowed from Kamloops and paddled 70 miles down Okanagan Lake from Penticton to Vernon. A great fund raiser and member promotional event. 		1992:
Club was formed and purchased two baby dragon boats. Hello Vancouver Dragon Boat Festival! Who the heck are these guys? You paddle where? On a lake? How can they get so fast paddling on a lake and skiing in the winter?
HAVE FUN, RACE HARD AND ENJOY THE COMPANY OF YOUR CLUB MEMBERS. THE PLEASURE IS IN THE PARTICIPATION!