Deep Creek Open and USA National Team Trials

May 27, 2013

Last weekend was the Deep Creek Open and USA National Team Trials in Deep Creek, Maryland. I paddled really well where I finished 1st after qualifications and 2nd overall at the Deep Creek Open. The last day of racing on Sunday was the USA National Team trials where I placed 1st!

ASCI is located on top of a ski hill where it does not run in the winter. This unfortunately makes for unpredictable weather conditions.

The Worlds will be held in Deep Creek next Summer 2014. I am really looking forward to this race as I know the course and it was really fun!

Results from the race can be found here:
http://www.deepcreek2014.com/events/
http://www.123result.com

View of ASCI from above

On our way back to Toronto to pick up the rest of Team Alberta we decided to make a stop over at Niagara falls. While we were there we read up on some facts about Niagara Falls, where we learned that only one kayaker has attempted to go off the falls. He was so confident he would survive he made dinner reservations down stream... unfortunately his body was never found.

#SupportTeamHaley

May 13, 2013

Thank to everyone who made a contribution towards #SupportTeamHaley to make the event a success! It was great to see all my friends, family, and members from the paddling community attend this event. The funds raised will go towards paying for my travel costs associated with the international competitions I plan to attend this year.

I am now training in Wisp, Maryland, USA in preparation for the Canadian National Team Trials that will be held in Minden, Ontario in two weeks.

Thank you for your continued support. Your contribution has helped me to compete and represent Canada on the world stage.

Thank you to Adrian Cole for creating the movie for #SupportTeamHaley

Haley Daniels from Adrian Cole on Vimeo.

5th Annual Penguin Race

May 1, 2013

Waterwerks Kayak Club and Alberta Slalom Canoe Kayak hosted the 5th Annual Penguin Race last Saturday. It was a great success with almost 40 paddlers!

For the past 5 years there has been a competition for best dressed penguin. This year I decided to put a costume together and I ended up coming in 3rd!

I had wrapped up teaching an intermediate coarse in the pool and the entire class came out to watch! One of my students was feeling extra ambitious and decide to get onto the water. He did great, but he unfortunately leaned upstream while coming out of an Eddie where the current caught his edge and he flipped over. He truly experienced the true meaning of the penguin race where he had fun while being a little bit chilly.

Photo Courtesy of Dave Winter

The race was followed by an amazing lunch that was put together by Coleen MacDonald and Emil Ohler and many other dedicated Waterwerks volunteers. I had a great time and I am looking forward to next year. Thank you to all of the volunteers that made the event a great success!

Seattle/Chilliwack

April 6, 2013

My mom and I made our way down to Seattle to visit a family friend who was very sick. We journeyed through Kootenay National park, down to Cranbrook, and then through Idaho.

We went for dinner at a place called Ivars, which is famous for their sea food. In the restaurant there was a 1929 racing canoe hanging in it. I am happy that canoes have evolved and I do not need to race something this heavy and long anymore.

On the way home we decided to go through Bellingham toward Chilliwack so I could fit in a paddle with my coach and some Alberta team members. My mom decided to take the role of the photographer. Here are some of the shots she caught.

It was a beautiful day where it reached a high of 25 degrees, which is really unlikely for that time of year. To take advantage of the weather we headed down to Cultus Lake for a BBQ and to hang out with some sprint paddelers. Here are some photos of me sporting my team gear.