Category: Adaptive Paddling

Help Us Welcome Adaptive Paddlers

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Columbia River Outrigger Canoe Club is raising funds to expand our ability to welcome adaptive paddlers. The funds we raise will be used to:

  • Host an adaptive paddling clinic led by Olympian and Waterman Hall of Fame inductee, Ann Yoshida, on September 13th, 2025.
  • Build three new canoe seating systems for adaptive paddlers.
  • Expand our club’s capacity to welcome paddlers of diverse abilities.

We are grateful for your support as we help more people find their way to paddling.

2018 Adaptive Paddle Clinic

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Beginner and long-time paddlers gathered on October 13th to learn the basics of outrigger canoe paddling from Ann Yoshida and Cris Trimble. This was the first (as best we can tell) time that an adaptive outrigger canoe clinic was offered in Oregon. Athletes from around the metro region participated, along with representatives from partners Adapt Training and University of Oregon. The event was made possible in part from sponsorship from Metro.

Ann Yoshida (background) leads a group of paddlers seated as if in an outrigger canoe to learn the basic stroke. Ian Jaquiss sits in “seat 1,” and Vicky Aubry-Rayburn sits in “seat 2” as they begin to picture paddling in a canoe.

Following land based instruction participating athletes had the opportunity to, well, paddle! CROCC team members helped to steer and set the stroke for the boats, to give athletes the opportunity to feel all that outrigger paddling has to offer.

Thank you to our sponsor Metro, and all the amazing volunteers that made this event possible!

Contact Arwen Bird if you’re interested in Adaptive Paddling or would like to know more information about CROCC’s efforts in increasing accessibility.  See our Adaptive Paddle Program page.