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   Jessica Groeneveld    Chris McTaggart    Marissa Dederer    Bryce Shaw

others coming soon... (send bio's to Althea)

Jessica Groeneveld

Hometown: Innisfail, Alberta
Current Residence: Chilliwack, British Columbia
Club: Cottonwood Kayak Club

Why did you start kayaking? How old were you?
I started kayaking when I was 12 years of age at the Innisfail pool, after this I was hooked and started paddling in the summer doing slalom with the club.

What was your best result? Why?
Junior Team Trials 2006. It was the first race where I reached the bottom and was happy with it. With this race I made first boat on the junior national team.

What was your best trip? Why?
2006 spring Team trials in Liptovsky, Slovakia. This was my first international experience to see the competition of slalom kayaking.

What are you looking forward to the most in 2008? RACING. I love going to races and the summer months of racing are the best times of my life.

What’s your favorite place to paddle?
The good old Kananaskis. It is my home course and has such a variety of paddling activities to do.

What other hobbies/pastimes do you have?
I currently took up Knitting I think it is going to be a great airplane pass time. As well I enjoy Nordic skiing, and hiking.

Who do you admire most?
The dominating Slovak women.

What is the best thing about your sport?
RACING!!

Chris McTaggart

Hometown: Canmore
Club: Bow Valley Kayak Club

Why did you start kayaking? How old were you?
I started kayaking in a program that was in Canmore when I was 12.

What was your best result? Why?
My best result was 3rd on day 3 of Canadian team trials 2007

What was your best trip? Why?
Krakow, Poland 2006, because I learnt a lot on that trip

What’s your favorite place to paddle?
Tacen, Slovenia

What other hobbies/pastimes do you have?
Riverboarding, Skateboarding, Snowboarding and many other activities

What is the best thing about your sport?
The way you can take advantage of the water and how the sport is developing more and more every year.

Marissa Dederer

Current Residence: Calgary/ Canmore on weekends
Languages: English, French, some Swahili
Club: Bow Valley Kayak Club, Waterwerks Kayak Club, FRPA
blog: www.theflowofthings.com

Why did you start kayaking? How old were you?
My mom signed me up for a camp in Canmore. It was something new to try. I was 12 years old.

What was your best result? Why?
My best result was 3rd in slalom at Nationals in 2007. It is a big race in Canada and an accomplishment to place at such an event.

What was your best trip? Why?
My best trip was Kenya. It was amazing. The people, the atmosphere, the scenery, everything was awesome! The jokes were funny. And of course the paddling was pretty dang good.

What’s your favorite place to paddle?
My favorite place to paddle was Kenya, on the Tana River because the scenery was superb. My favorite natural river is Chilliwack and my favorite artificial course is Charlotte.

What other hobbies/pastimes do you have?
I play basketball and cross-country ski. I write a lot and will sometimes play guitar.

Who do you admire most?
Roxanna (an Iranian paddler) I admire Roxanna for having the courage to travel to the United States and to Africa to pursue her dreams of going to the Olympics.

What is the best thing about your sport?
Other than the amazing people, likely the traveling and getting to see the world.

Bryce Shaw

Hometown: Canmore/Calgary
Occupation: Lifeguard
Languages: English/French
Club: Bow Valley Kayak Club
website: www.pcfl.com/bryce

Why did you start kayaking? How old were you?
I started kayaking when I was 13 years old, when I took a beginner kayaking course. After that course, I went to another camp, and ended up paddling for most of the summer (and every summer after that).

What was your best result? Why?
I don’t know what my best result has been, but it basically requires putting together two really good runs which I’m happy with. This happens more often as I become a better paddler, but at the same time, my standards rise just as fast.

What was your best trip? Why?
My best trip happened last year when I spent 3 weeks paddling in Northern BC, in the Terrace/Smithers area. We paddled tons of really fun whitewater, much of which was remote and had been rarely done. We did some multi-day trips and met some really cool people.

What are you looking forward to the most in 2008?
I don’t have anything specific that I’m looking forward to, I’m mostly just excited to spend time with my friends, kayaking. When doing that, exciting and memorable moments create themselves.

What’s your favorite place to paddle?
Idaho, Ontario, and Northern BC. All are great places to go.

What other hobbies/pastimes do you have?
As well as kayaking, I try to spend time outside doing other things. I tele-ski, snowboard and back-country ski in the winter, between kayaking, which doesn’t stop despite cold. In the summer, I spend much of my time kayaking, but I try to spend time hiking, climbing, camping, and traveling in general.

Who do you admire most?
I admire anyone who can manage to dedicate a significant portion of their life to doing something they love.

What is the best thing about your sport?
Kayaking is wonderful because there is so much opportunity to go interesting destinations and explore beautiful places that people have rarely or never been to before. Deep gorges and canyons in particular have a grandeur which makes you catch your breath when you find yourself in them

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