By Kamloops Canoe & Kayak Club

Local Athletes to Race Team Lead by Olympian Mark de Jonge

Aug 25, 2017 | 9:36 PM

August 26th at 10:07 Eastern Time, three local Sprint Kayak athletes will have the unique experience of competing against a team lead by Olympian Mark de Jonge in the Open Men’s 200m K4 Sprint. Spencer Robinson, Matao Buist and Stanley Netherton along with Burnaby’s Edward Calhoun are U15-U17 Athletes racing a four man Kayak for Burnaby at the Canadian Sprint Canoe and Kayak National Championships in Welland Ontario. They were entered into a race in the top age group with no expectations to win. Instead the goal is to build experience and in the lane right next to them, experience is exactly what they will be up against. De Jonge is a long time National Team Member, Olympic medalist and multiple World Champion. He will be leading Halifax’s Maskwa Men’s K4 Team boat in the 200m Sprint. De Jonge is a specialist in the individual (K1) 200m and until recently was also the world record holder. The youngsters of the Kamloops/Burnaby crew fully expect to finish at the back of the pack but could not give up the opportunity and expect to learn a great deal from the experience.

The race will be live streamed at 10:07 Eastern Time from the Welland International Flatwater Centre and can be seen online at canoewelland2017.com

It can also be viewed later in the archives of Day 4, Race 311, Heat 2, Open Men’s K4 200.