About the Race
Event Schedule
This Labour Day weekend we are hosting an open canoe slalom event on the Gull River in Minden, Ontario. While this is an annual event that is normally comprised of open boaters primarily from Ontario and Quebec, this year’s race will also play host to the American Canoe Association’s Open Canoe Slalom Nationals. It’s not unusual for Canadian open boaters to head to the U.S. for their nationals, and every once in a while, we all get together in Ontario for this event. It’s a fun and friendly group of paddlers and while the event is definitely competitive, it’s also encouraging to newer open boaters and has a lively spirit.
Whitewater open canoes used for slalom racing are based on traditional canoe designs. A slalom course is set for the competition using hanging vertical poles for gates and paddlers attempt to negotiate the course in numerical order without touching any poles, or missing any gates, in the fastest time possible. There are time penalties for touching or missing gates. The course is usually 200- to 275-metres in length. Slalom racing encourages paddlers to learn to control their boat on tight and technical rivers.
Contact the event organizers:
Dave Humphrys, dhumphrys@gmail.com
Beth Kennedy, rivers4me@gmail.com
Race Registration
Registration closes August 28, 2025.
Basic registration fee, includes 2 classes and Saturday evening meal, $130 Cdn.
Each additional class $15 Cdn.
Maximum 3 races each day.
Maximum 7 races total.
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Read the ACA Open Canoe Slalom Rules before deciding on class selection.
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Friday Combined
The slalom combined classes are the slalom portion of the slalom-downriver/boater-cross combined classes. You must enter one (only one) of these classes if you're planning to do the downriver/boater-cross. The racers' slalom penalties and downriver/boater-cross time will be combined together to determine the winners.
OC-1CM Open REC
OC-1CM Open RAC
OC-1CM Women REC
OC-1CM Women RAC
OC-2CM Open REC
OC-2CM Open RAC
OC-2CM Mixed REC
OC-2CM Mixed RAC
Friday Slalom
OC-1 Open RAC
OC-1 Open REC
OC-1 Masters Women REC
OC-2 Masters REC
OC-2 Mixed RAC
Saturday Slalom
OC-1 Masters REC
OC-1 Citizen Open
OC-1 13-ft Women RAC
OC-1 Citizen Women
OC-1 15-ft Open RAC
OC-1 13-ft Master RAC
OC-1 Women REC
OC-2 Mixed REC
OC-2 15-ft Open RAC
OC-2 Citizen Open
OC-2 Open RAC
OC-2 Citizen Mixed
OC-2 Junior RAC
OC-2 Youth/Senior RAC
OC-1 Women Master Rac
Sunday Slalom
OC-1 15-ft Masters RAC
OC-1 Masters RAC
OC-1X Open
OC-1 Women RAC
OC-1 Junior RAC
OC-1 13-ft Open
OC-2 Women REC
OC-2 Masters RAC
OC-2 15-ft Mixed RAC
OC-2 Open REC
OC-2 Women RAC