Competition
Information
Southern California Outrigger Racing Association (SCORA)
The Southern
California Outrigger Racing Association (SCORA) is the
governing body for the sport of outrigger canoe racing in
Southern California, Arizona and Nevada. Most of its teams
reside on Southern California beaches between San Diego and
San Luis Obispo with several outlying teams in Catalina and
surrounding states. SCORA sanctions outrigger competitions
and provides competitive ocean training programs to foster
the healthy, active lifestyle of its members.
SCORA is a member of both the Pacific
Outrigger Canoe Association (POCA) and the International
Va'a Federation (IVF), the latter being the governing body
for outrigger canoe racing worldwide. The IVF, Va'a meaning
canoe in Tahitian, sanctions international races including
biennial World Sprints. Members of the IVF reside in all
points of the globe including Tahiti, Australia, New
Zealand, Japan, Hawai'i, California, New York, Guam and
France. The World Sprints are held in select global venues
for the specific purpose of gaining recognition as a
competitive sport in the Olympics.
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Races
A new paddler is called a novice and will be a novice his or
her first year through the sprint races. The competitive
season for 6-man canoes consists of practicing and racing
from March-October (SCORA races end in September). The first
races of the season are the Ironman races, which begin in
May. Ironman races are continuous races with six paddlers
starting the race and working together to finish the race.
Sprint races are the second part of the race season and
consist of short-distance races often conducted with
elimination heats that allow participation in multiple races
and multiple divisions throughout the day. These races may
be straight short-distance races out to buoys and back or
conducted in lanes with turns. The season ends with 9-man
races. These races involve nine paddlers, a 6-man canoe, and
a motorized "escort boat." Six paddlers start the race in
the canoe with three extra paddlers in the escort boat. Over
the course of the race, the paddlers in the escort boat will
switch or "change out" with the paddlers in the canoe,
giving everyone short rest and hydration/refueling breaks in
the escort boat.
SCORA Races
|
Ironman Races |
May-June |
§
Novice races are 4-6 miles long
§
Women's, Men's, & Coed are 12-18 miles |
|
Sprint Races |
July |
§
Most races are 1000 meters-2 miles |
|
9-man Races |
August-September |
§
All races are 18-30 miles |
|
Catalina Crossing
US
Championships |
September |
§
Women's & Coed 9-man crews paddle from Newport to
Catalina Island on Saturday - 27 miles
§
Men's 9-man crews paddle from Catalina back to
Newport on Sunday - 31 miles |
Non-SCORA
races of interest include events in Northern California
(e.g., Alcatraz Challenge), New York (e.g., Liberty Cup,
Hawai'i (e.g., Queen Lili'uokalani in Kona, Moloka'i,
races, etc.), Canada
(e.g. Howe Sound in Gibsons, BC), Australia (e.g., Hamilton
Cup), and World Sprint Championships, which is held in
various locations worldwide every two years.
Divisions
There must be at least three entries in each division to
make the division official.
Adult
Divisions
§
Women's Novice Spec (any age is eligible)
§
Women's Novice Bradley (any age is eligible)
§
Men's Novice Spec (any age is eligible)
§
Men's Novice Bradley (any age is eligible)
§
Coed Novice (any age is eligible)
§
Women's Open Spec (any age is eligible)
§
Women's Open Bradley (any age is eligible)
§
Women's Masters (35 and older)
§
Women's Senior Masters (45 and older)
§
Women's Golden Masters (50 and older)
§
Men's Open Spec (any age is eligible)
§
Men's Open Bradley (any age is eligible)
§
Men's Masters (35 and older)
§
Men's Senior Masters (45 and older)
§
Men's Golden Masters (55 and older)
§
Coed Open (any age is eligible)
§
Coed Masters (35 and older)
