The Carleton University Kayaking Club (CUKC) is a recreational kayaking club that allow white water kayakers within Carleton University and the community to connect with each other. The main goal of the club is to provide affordable and accessible kayaking to students of Carleton University.

The best part about the club is that it is open to anyone. You may never have kayaked before or have just made your 1000th surf on babyface, CUKC provides a fun way to meet new people and experience kayaking.

Introductions to kayaking will start in the Carleton University pool. Once kayakers have honed their ability in a consequence-free environment, they will be taken to a small set of rapids to get their first taste of white water!

Throughout the winter months, CUKC will be hosting pool sessions and various kayaking related events on campus and throughout Ottawa.

Once spring and summer comes, there will be organized trips to local rivers and rapids. The club will have numerous coordinated events and trips with other nearby university kayak clubs. Check the events page and home page to keep up to date on CUKC events.

A secondary goal of CUKC is to support white water kayaking in the community; whether this is through support of other organizations or volunteering at events.

To get added to the mailing list or if you have any event-related questions, email events@cukc.ca

For more information or if you have any other questions about the club, email info@cukc.ca

CUKC builds its strength in volunteers!

Every year the club needs execs and super-duper helpers to keep the system rolling. If you enjoy all the fun times had why not lend a hand? Whether you want to help out in the pool, or have your sights on the presidents throne we can use hour help. Just ask your friendly CUKC execs at any event or pool session and we can give you the skinny on where your skills could be best directed. It never hurts to ask!

CUKC Exec 2009/2010

Here are your CUKC executives for this year. They are a great bunch of people who are here to serve you, the members, and to help get you out onto the river. All are very approachable and are part of the executive due to their shared passion for the sport, as well as their commitment to help others share that passion. They hope to meet all of your expectations, and should you have any concerns do not hesitate to email any one of them with your questions.

President

As president it is my responsibility to ensure the club runs efficiently and accomplishes all of its goals. My main responsibility is making sure all the pieces of the puzzle come together, such as updating our website, organising events, or running our pool sessions. This requires picking up all the small administrative tasks such as collecting boats from rental locations, participating in CUSA workshops, or attending budget meetings and storing club-owned equipment. I am also responsible for keeping the club organised by arranging and leading meetings and keeping in communication with all executives and members of the club. The role of president is a lot of work and a huge time commitment but it is definitely worth every second I put towards the club. I am very happy to play such a significant role in the club.

I became a part of CUKC because my passion lies with white water kayaking, and when I saw that Carleton had a kayak club I jumped on the boat as soon as possible (no pun intended). My goal is to help continually expand our club and welcome as many new members as possible. We are a fairly new club, and there are still many kinks to work out and improvements to be made. I am eager to involve new people with the sport and push the club to serve its members. This year my main goal has been to have more events outside of the pool sessions and increase the amount of gear owned by the club. This will allow us to take more paddlers to the river for as little cost as possible to the members.

As president I hope to bring a positive influence to the club. My goal is to make CUKC the most exciting club on campus because that is what white water kayaking is all about—‘the rush’!

VP Events

I’m the Vice President at CUKC, and my responsibilities are the events that the club organises. I organize and make sure everything runs smoothly at the events. For the majority of the year my main responsibilities are the pool sessions, which I set up and make sure all registered members are booked. Also, whenever anything else happens I am responsible for the organization of that too.

I’ve been paddling for a little more than a year, although, I’ve known and have been loosely involved with the whole paddling spiel for a couple years now.

I also enjoy: long walks on the beach, holding hands, frozen yogurt, sunsets, and all kinds of awesome.

VP Finance

Jamie joined the club in 2006 as VP Finance and is expected to continue his financing duties through the 2010 academic year. CUKC is able to offer students such great deals in part because of funding from the University of Carleton and prudent management of previous cash flows. In addition to accounting and financial forecast duties Jamie has been actively involved in the instruction of CUKC’s beginner and intermediate members. With ORCA kayak level 1 instructor certification, along with 4 years of related professional work experience Jamie is able to instruct students on skills ranging from the sweep roll to flat-water loops or how to boof off of local waterfalls.

I have chosen to participate in CUKC since my first year at Carleton because what it can offer me as a student and how it allows me to give back to the student community. Through the years academic demands have increased along with time commitments to other extracurricular activities but CUKC has remained the organization that helps balance my life with an outlet for physical, social, and creative energies. Where else can one find James D in his duck painted kayak, or Martin reminding everyone of how absurd French Canadians really are, or hear Jackie comment on how as soon as her student is more than a boat length away they resemble a colourful blob so could I please tell her if that blob flips upside down. CUKC has enough colour to brighten up even the most dull of lifestyles!

VP Communications

As the only female member of the CUKC exec, Jacqueline proves that white water kayaking isn’t just for the boys. Paddling has always been a large part of her life both recreationally and formally as an ORCKA registered flat-water canoeing and kayaking instructor for the past 9 years. Jacqueline was bit by the white water bug 3 years ago after coming out to a pool session and has been hooked ever since. As a graduate of Carleton’s Mass Communications program it is fitting that she is the club’s VP Communications. In addition to being an instructor, Jacqueline’s duties include booking space in the Atrium when the club wants to promote events, creating and disseminating advertisements on the club’s behalf and acting as a liaison between the club and CUSA.

Director of Recruitment/Operations

My main involvement with the CUKC is really about lifestyle. I believe that physical activity in the form of recreation is vital to a healthy lifestyle.

“Health is not the absence of disease, but the state of superior wellbeing” — Dr. D. Paskowitz
Being an executive of the CUKC allows me to both participate and introduce others to our sport. White-water Kayaking presents people with a diverse range of challenges in many different environments. Whether we are in a pool or on the river the CUKC executives and members provides the opportunity for individuals to safely develop a skill set that they can take to the river and real life.

CUKC is part of the global white-water kayaking community. Any white-water boater knows what I mean. There is no real membership card or anything; it’s just about giving some soaking wet ridiculous stranger a ride back to the put-in, even if it means they got to stand on your bumper because the car is full…
But, yeah there’s not much any one person can do to improve the club, because it is already pretty sweet! However, things like new boats and club dry tops are some tools that help us to safely be on the water more… but if I had to pick One Thing that the CUKC needs to improve the club it’s a Big Air Ramp for the pool!!!

I enjoy the social aspect of our club, as an extension of the global white-water community. CUKC is like a support group for kayakers who want to socialize, learn and work to achieve goals in a supportive environment. And I like being part of that!

Honorary Members

The following are some highly recognized and honorary members of the CUKC. They are extensively involved in the club, some of whom are even past executives who have poured a lot of time and effort into the CUKC. Their hard work is much appreciated and the club would like to extend its thanks to them for everything they have done.

Former President and co-Founder

Martin founded CUKC with unprecedented support from Justin Hick and Simon DeNure in 2006. We all had one goal in mind: “to provide affordable and accessible kayaking to students of Carleton University”.

I am an outdoor enthusiast and especially passionate about whitewater kayaking and I felt there was no better way to share my passion through the Kayak Club.

We’ve been lucky to have such a dynamic group of students throughout the years. We have proven that a group of students who are passionate about one thing can do something great! We’ve started three years ago with only extra gear kicking around in our garage from our execs and members =D we’ve come a long way since we’ve started! and we still have a lot of work to do.

We are by far the luckiest paddling club in Canada! We have the Rideau River running right through our campus! Hogs Back Falls only 5min up river from the University! Champlain Bridge about 20 minute drive! and the list goes on! It made a lot of sense to start a club right here at Carleton.

Not being an executive this year gave me more time to implement and do cool stuff such as web development for the new club website, and help out with lessons in the pool!

Former VP Event

It amazes me how far this club has come from that first ‘club meeting’ at
push button on the Ottawa River.  Getting a club going is a lot of time and
work.  Luckily, we’ve had some amazing members and exec with a lot of
passion for the sport and club.  In a very short time, CUKC has become one
of the biggest university kayaking clubs in Canada!

I know the kayak club was one of the best things I took away from
University.  Now that I have graduated and away from Ottawa, I realize how
lucky we all were to have the club.  Thanks everyone who helped make CUKC
what it is and continue to work hard making it bigger and better.  I
definitely made a lot of friendships over the years at CUKC and have more
good memories than I could count.

Website Designer and Instructor

I worked very closely with Martin to help establish the club within the university and start to construct the framework of the club as we see it today. The vision then was to create an environment for students in the whitewater capital of Ontario to paddle with each other, and I’ve seen the club evolve into it’s current glory… that and we wanted an excuse to paddle more often. I’ve also spent time focusing on the club’s image (logo and website design), and more recently instructing in the pool.

CUKC for me has been a fantastic opportunity to connect with all the kayakers at Carleton University so we can get together and paddle. Whether its helping a group make their first run down the Ottawa river, or waterfall thrill seeking with the experienced/insane regulars I always manage to have a good time. I enjoy the fact that there is lots of interest in whitewater kayaking at Carleton University and its great to see that people are as enthusiastic to learn as I was when I picked up the sport in 2004. I’m confident that the club will continue to grow and prosper for years to come.

Instructor and Super duper flat-water looper

I hope that what I’ve done is progress some of the play boating (white-water and flat) skills of CUKCer’s But more importantly, I know that I’ve made some great friends, and helped some CUKCer’s enjoy some white-water sessions:)

The club is in capable hands. I think it’s doing great and will only get better. One thing I do look forward to is more club gear. It’s great; and rare, for a club to have gear available for people getting into white-water kayaking, especially for trying to learn play boating.

Why am I a part of the club: I seen a post somewhere (possibly the boater board) for a club meeting back in fall of 2007 I think. There were only a handful of people there, but we watched some videos, socialized and made some plans to paddle and get the club rolling. Having just moved to Ottawa it was a perfect way to make some new paddling buddies.

Executives 2008-2009

Martin Cayouette – President and co-Founder
Justin Hick – VP Events
Jamie Heard – VP Finance
Tom McKenna – Head Instructor
Jacqueline Stesco – VP Communication