Canoe and kayak racers set to compete at Maple Ridge’s Whonnock Lake

The Ridge Canoe and Kayak Club will host its annual Fort Ridge Fall Classic at Whonnock Lake in Maple Ridge on Sept. 12 and 13. The season-ending championship regatta, co-hosted with the Fort Canoe Kayak Club, is billed as the province’s largest sprint regatta of the year.

The event is intended to give young athletes an opportunity to showcase the work they have put in over the summer. The club’s regattas draw hundreds of athletes, officials and volunteers.

The club is asking community members to postpone activities that could interfere with racing, including swimming outside the designated swimming area, fishing, boating and other lake activities. The beach parking lot will be closed from Friday through Sunday for event parking.

Motorized boats will not be permitted on the lake, except for the club’s safety boats. The public is also asked not to fish from the docks; the RCKC dock is not a public dock.