The North Bay Canoe Club (NBCC) made a powerful statement at recent provincial events, excelling at both the Ontario Summer Games and the Ontario Championship Regattas. Competing against Ontario's finest paddlers, the club’s athletes returned with an impressive collection of medals and personal records, underscoring their dedication and skill.
A Stellar Performance at the Ontario Championship Regattas
The Ontario Championship Regattas became a showcase for NBCC’s prowess across all categories. Among the most notable achievements was the U16 Women’s IC4 team—comprising Haley Sebesta, Lily McClelland, Sophie Williams, and Evelyn Ross—who secured a bronze medal in the 500m race.
Sebesta and Ross also paired up in the U16 Women’s C2 500m, narrowly missing the podium with a 4th place finish. Their teamwork and promise as a duo were evident throughout the competition.
In the Open Special Olympics Mixed Unified K2 200m, Oscar Graves shined brightly, winning gold alongside his partner Stone Shearer from Peterborough. Graves didn’t stop there; he set a personal best in the U18 Men’s K1 500m with a 5th place finish.
The Men’s IC4 team in the U16 division, made up of Eddie Masse, Nathaniel Suppa, Caleb Allingham, and Wes Clouthier, also secured a bronze medal in the 500m race. Suppa and Clouthier continued their medal streak in the U16 Men’s C2 500m, taking home another bronze, and then stepped up to the U18 category to win silver in the same event. Suppa’s individual efforts in the U16 Men’s C1 500m saw him finish 4th overall, just shy of a medal in a fiercely contested race.
In the Masters division, veteran paddler Nancy Olmsted demonstrated her experience by claiming silver in the K1 Women’s 500m and the K2 Mixed 500m. Olmsted's success extended to the Masters Mixed K4 500m, where she, along with teammates Tonya Cunningham, Peter Hodgson, and Zeljko Cakic, earned another silver medal. Cunningham's contributions in the Masters division further strengthened the club’s performance across all age groups.
U12/U14 Division Shows Promise
The future of the NBCC looks bright, as the club’s U12/U14 division delivered exceptional performances on Day 2 of the Ontario Championship Regattas. In the U14 Girls C1 500m, Evelyn Ross earned a bronze medal, while Sophie Williams finished 5th, highlighting the depth of young talent in the club. Ross and Williams later teamed up in the U14 Girls C2 500m, earning another bronze medal with their strong collaboration.
The boys’ events saw similarly impressive results. In the U12 Boys K2 500m, Finlay Ross and Alex Nesterenko Inch secured a silver medal in the B Final. This was followed by another silver in the U14 Boys C4 500m B Final, where Caleb Kasch, Jared Johnson, Eddie Masse, and Finlay Ross combined their efforts. The U12 Boys C4 500m B Final brought yet another silver for NBCC, with Finlay Ross, Alex Nesterenko Inch, Brock Clouthier, and Dominic Nesterenko Inch showcasing the club’s burgeoning talent.
Rounding off the day, Lily McClelland clinched gold in the U14 Girls K1 500m B Final, underscoring the promise of NBCC’s young athletes.
A strong start at Ontario Summer Games
Before the championship regattas, NBCC's younger athletes made waves at the Ontario Summer Games in London. Haley Sebesta and Evelyn Ross led the team with a silver medal in the C4 500m race, while Sebesta added to her medal count with a silver in the C2 1000m and a bronze in the C2 500m. Nathaniel Suppa also helped secure a bronze in the C4 500m. The collective efforts of Caleb Allingham, Carson Vierich, Evelyn Ross, Haley Sebesta, Nathaniel Suppa and Wes Clouthier exemplified the club’s strength and sportsmanship.
Looking Forward with National Championships on the Horizon
With these successes in the bag, NBCC is setting its sights on the upcoming National Championships and CanMas events in Welland, Ontario. Fourteen athletes, including Abbey Krawczuk, Caleb Allingham, Carson Vierich, Eddie Masse, Evelyn Ross, Haley Sebesta, Lily McClelland, Nathaniel Suppa, Oscar Graves, Sophie Williams and Wes Clouthier will represent the club at the national level. The Masters competitors—Nancy Olmsted, Tessa DeSouza and Tonya Cunningham—are also preparing to make their mark in the CanMas events.
As the athletes head into the national competition, the North Bay community is fully behind them, confident in their ability to bring home great results. The NBCC’s blend of youth and experience promises to deliver a strong showing on the national stage.
