Selected Highlights of the USCA Annual Meeting January 14-16, 2011
Charlotte, North Carolina
1. Susan Williams was elected for a two-year term as President over Janet Perry in a vote of 34 to 28.
2. Sonja Gilman was re-elected as Treasurer for a two-year term, by acclamation.
3. The 29 year old minimum age requirement and the 14 years age difference rules have been removed for the adult partners in the Adult/Youth and Adult/Junior marathon races. This motion was presented by Aaron Vidusek, delegate for the East North Central Division, who also presented a petition, collected by Ruth Perkins, with 59 signatures in support of the motion.
4. As part of what its backers hope will set the course for future kayak championship class changes, in canoes, C1 and C2 open classes will be the only "National" Championship classes. Age group winners will be recognized with trophies for first place and medals to third, and will be styled USCA Age Group Champions.
Thus there will be one National Championship for each of:
C1 Man
C1 Woman
C2 Men
C2 Women
C2 Mixed
C2 Men Junior
C2 Women Junior
C2 Man+Youth
C2 Woman+Youth
C2 Man+Junior
C2 Woman+Junior
C1 Stock and C2 Standard will have Age Group Champions
5. Newaygo Nationals: lower fees for youth, improved fee structure for marathon, and prize money for top racing classes.
The 2012 USCA National Canoe & Kayak Championships in Newaygo look set to raise the bar for USCA National Championships.
a. Youth will pay a flat $5 to race as many USCA races throughout the week as they wish, sprint and marathon.
b. An adult's fees for the marathon days will be $30 for the first race, $10 for the second and $10 for the third (instead of $40, $5, $5) so that paddlers who can only do one race are not hit so hard, yet there remains an incentive to do two or three marathon races.
c. There will be prize money for the open classes for C1 Man, C1 Woman, C2 Men, C2 Women, and C2 mixed, and for ICF K1 Man and ICF K1 Woman. Equal payouts to men's and women's classes.
6. National Championship 2012 site locations.
The 2012 USCA National Canoe & Kayak Championships will be held August 7-12, on the Allegheny River in Warren County, PA, subject to agreement on race fees.
The 2012 USCA National Stock Aluminum Canoe Marathon Championships will be held June 23, on the White River in Calico Rock, AR, to be followed by a pro C2 race on June 24.
Update March 2011: Warren confirmed for 2012. Fees to be held at 2009 levels except: (a) good restructuring of the marathon adult fees to $30, $10, $10; (b) $10 flat fee for Youth - maximum $30 per family, and (c) $25 fee for Orienteering.
7. The dates for the 2013 USCA National Canoe & Kayak Championships will be August 6-11.
8. The 2012 USCA Annual Meeting will be held at the Radisson, Green Bay, WI, January 13-15.
9. The Delegates approved a budget to develop a custom web-based registration and timing system for the USCA.
