Athletes from Fraser Valley (Zone 3) completed a second day of medal successes in Canoe / Kayak despite extremely windy conditions at the BC Summer Games in Nanaimo.

Adding an additional 14 medals Saturday to their existing eight in the canoe / kayak category, Zone 3 athletes dominated the Male Open K1 2000 meter, Female Open K2 2000 meter, Male Training to Train K2, C1 and C2 500 meter races.

"It's pretty exciting to see how well they are doing, especially since not all of them have raced together in team boats before," said Gill Fedechko, Zone 3 Coach. "They are actually coming together really well and working hard throughout the different conditions, the wind and the hot weather, so it's good to see them working hard and working to their best ability."

For Zone 3's Matthew Koehler and teammate Justin Won, staying focused to get across the finish line was the key to their success on Saturday, bringing their medal totals to seven each. "I just like to keep pushing and I know if I try my best I'll always succeed and just keep looking at the line and not worry about everyone else around you," said Koehler. 

"We really overlook that stuff, you just have to focus on your race and try your best at getting across the line," said Won.

According to Mary Jane Abbott, Assistant Provincial Advisor of Canoe Kayak BC, one of the biggest highlights of Saturday's races is that every zone has taken home at least one medal. "It does a lot to grow the sport if the kids go back home with a good news story and so now that has happened, I'm ecstatic."

Vancouver-Squamish (Zone 5) received 10 medals from Saturday's races with Thompson-Okanagan (Zone 2) closing the day with a total of eight. The remaining Women's, Men's and Mixed Finals start at 8:30am Sunday morning at the Open End of Long Lake, with medal presentation at 11:15am.

 

Attached Photo: Justin Won (L), Matthew Koehler (R)