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Switchblade Race date: Saturday, May 9, 2020

  • Early bird entry fee: $300 per 6-person team (includes dinner) until April 13th. Entry fee of $360 per team registered thereafter.
  • Each team must include at least 3 women.
  • Each paddler MUST be a member of CORA - CORA registration is not available on race day. Register for CORA here
  • This is a full day of racing in different disciplines, with race legs for solo, tandem and a 6-person team.
  • Race day begins with a mandatory race briefing at 8:00am at the VCKC clubhouse at 355 Gorge Rd. W, Victoria BC. Races take place starting from the clubhouse dock on Gorge Waterway, and at several locations including the Victoria Inner & Outer Harbours and Esquimalt Lagoon Spit.
  • Total time on the water is expected to be 6-7 hours, depending on conditions and number of teams competing.
  • Minimum of 5 teams required to be registered by May 1st for the event to go forward.
  • Registration is available online until May 1st. Late registration may be available if space is available by email to marathon@vckc.ca
  • VCKC Marathon Canoe program will help where we can to link paddlers to teams and teams to paddlers.

Switchblade Paddlesport Relay Races

  • When: 09 May 2020, 8:00 AM - 10:00 PM
  • Location: Victoria Canoe & Kayak Club, 355 Gorge Rd W, Victoria, BC V9A 1M9
  • Minimum of 3 women per team.
  • Minimum of 5 teams registered by May 1st to hold the event.
  • Registration is open now


ENTRY FEE: Early Bird, until April 13: $300 per team. Thereafter, to May 1: $360 per team.

*Late registration may be available if space permits; late fee of $360 per team


Switchblade racing consists of 6 different paddling sports and is an exciting combination of race legs that will challenge any 6-paddler team to bring their best efforts both as individuals and working together.

COURSE (6 LEGS)

  • Recreational Ocean Kayak (1 paddler) – Mass start on the water at the VCKC dock, the course will be in the Gorge Waterway and may involve buoy turns.
  • Stand Up Paddleboard (1) – Mass start at the VCKC dock (either in the water or on shore) the course will involve several buoy turns and will be in the Gorge Waterway.
  • Marathon Canoe Tandem (2) – Mass start on the water at the VCKC dock the course will be in the Gorge Waterway, expect buoy turns, finishing at VCKC.
  • OC1 (1) – Mass start at Portage Park beach, loop through Esquimalt Harbour to far end of Esquimalt Lagoon (Coberg) Spit.**
  • Surf Ski (1) – mass start at Esquimalt Lagoon Spit to Inner Harbour mouth, finshing at Ocean Pointe Delta Hotel.**
  • OC6 (all 6 paddlers) – Staggered start in front of Ocean Pointe Delta Hotel, into the Inner and Outer Harbours, on to V21, counter clockwise turn around V21, then on to Brotchie Reach, counter clockwise around Brotchie, back to V21, clockwise turn around V21 and follow same course into Inner Harbour finishing at Ocean Pointe Delta Hotel.**

All paddlers must have signed waiver on file to participate. Download waiver here:  VCKC-Group-Waiver-SwitchBlade2020.pdf. Please print, complete and obtain signatures. Email completed waivers to: switchblade@vckc.ca or bring completed waiver form to 8:00 am meeting on the day of the event.

Post race party!!!

BBQ dinner with awards. The dinner is free for racers but additional tickets can be purchased for team boosters or anyone else who would like to attend the dinner. Dinner tickets are $10 and available online during team registration.

Note: Minimum of 5 teams registered by May 1st to hold the event.

Each team is responsible to supply their own boats and equipment. However, when registrations opens, contact information for VCKC race organizers will be published for race teams hoping to arrange the loan of boats. We will endeavour to put people in-touch with clubs that may have OC6s or other boats available.

** The Race Director reserves the right to alter any race course for safety, determined on the day of the event base on conditions.

Visit the Marathon Switchblade program page for additional information: Switchblade Paddlesport Relay

Waivers are required: Link to VCKC-Group-Waiver-SwitchBlade2020.pdf to download and print.

For more information and assistance, please email marathon@vckc.ca.

To register, click here.

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