Kayak classic on Chilliwack river

The annual Rich Weiss Memorial Kayak race was held last weekend on the Chilliwack River’s robust Tamihi Rapids.

Chilliwack’s Jon Allen put together the fastest run of the day, finishing first in the men’s kayak race with a time of 95.39 seconds.

In the men’s closed canoe race, Chilliwack’s Craig Allen (117.82s) edged out Alberta’s Tom Purcell (118.09s) by the narrowest of margins.

The women’s open class went to another local racer, Chilliwack’s Jazmyne DenHollander, who finished in 112.51s to edge out American Lisa Day (116.51s) and Albertan Lizzy Morthurst (229.54s).

The double-closed canoe race went to the Alberta duo of Tom and Daniel Purcell while Jordan Gollner took the recreation plastic boat race.

The event is named after Rich Weiss, a top U.S. competitor in men’s whitewater slalom kayak at the 1996 Olympics who died in a kayaking accident on the White Salmon River in southern Washington state June 27, 1997.

He was 33 years old.

Get more local kayaking information online at http://ccekayak.tripod.com/.

Chilliwack Progress