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About Just out. (Portland, OR) 1983-2013 | View Entire Issue (July 15, 2011)
sports OREGON'S LGBTQ NEWSMAGAZINE JULY 15, 2011 CROCC Rocks Hawaiian outrigger canoeing alive and well in Portland with the Columbia River Outrigger Canoeing Club » R eco n n ect a n d m ak e your v acatio n all th e m o re special. B ook now a n d rediscover th e tru e n a tu re o f fun in V ancouver. • O u tg a m e s a n d P rid e W eek rates available sta rrin g at $229 CAD. BY RYAN J. PRADO As of press time, summer is still here. That means there’s no better time than now to enjoy the Northwest’s rivers, creeks, lakes and the like to cool off in before our pre-fall showers reign su preme. If you’re searching for a different way to make a splash in water sports, might we suggest the revered Hawaiian pastime of outrigger canoeing? Lucky for you, Portland just so hap pens to be home to the Columbia River Outrigger Canoe Club (CROCC), a recreational and competitive crew of spirited devotees to the team sport of outrig ger canoeing. The group was founded in 1992, the first dedicated outrigger canoe club in Portland and the Northwest. Through its mission of encouraging, sustaining and per petuating outrigger canoe paddling, racing and the related Hawaiian traditions,CROCC strives, per its website, “to embrace and nur ture the community through inclusiveness and all skill levels in order to teach and im prove paddling technique and to maximize enjoyment of the sport.” It just so happens, as CROCC head coach 31 FOR MORE INFORMATION OR TO M AKE A RESERVATION. VISIT WESTINGRANDVANCOUVER.COM/ GLBTOR CALL 1.888.680.9393. | Northwest Outrigger Canoe Associa- o tion—places emphasis on its novice and recreational paddlers. In fact, that’s | how board chair Clint Spelt began his journey into the wet world of outrigger canoeing. “I joined CROCC with very little water experience at all,” Spelt admits. “A little more than two years later, my partner and I went from ‘let’s just try it and see if we can make time for it’ to racing competitively, coaching and sit ting on the board of directors. When you paddle, everything else in the world seems to go away.” CROCC is participating in each of the Sunday Parkways events throughout the summer, and bringing a canoe for curious folks to check out. On July 24, CROCC will be at the Northwest Sunday Parkways event just south of the Hawthorne Bridge, and will have a canoe available to take people out for a short paddle throughout the day. J#] T he W estin GRAND VANCOUVER Josie Sparks explains, that about 85-90 per cent of the paddlers are members of the LG- BTQjrommunity. “W hat’s so incredibly wonderful is that everyone in the outrigger community is ac cepting, and therefore we’re able to paddle without judgment,"Sparks says. “It’s all about being an ohana [family] that’s full of athletes that makes sure we all kokua [help] one another.” While outrigger canoeing with CROCC engages in competitive races with challeng ing conditions on the Columbia River, the For more inform ation about upcoming races fo r group—which operates under the Pacific CRO CC, v isit croccpaddle.com. mBu* ■ V. ' ■ s w Countdown To The Cup Portland Cup Softball Tourney returns in August BY RYAN J. PRADO While hundreds of softball stars are scheduled to take the field during the sec ond GLI SA North America Outgames in Vancouver, B.C., Portland’s Rose City Soft- ball Association is oiling up the leather for its own big-time invitational. The Portland Cup—set for August 13-14 at the Delta Park Sports Complex (10737 N. Union Court)—will host teams from Seattle, Van- couver, B.C., San Francisco and Phoenix. The tournament marks the perfect chance to either tune up before late August’s Gay World Series in Chicago or, for teams not going to the series, to have a last sporting hurrah before summer winds down. Jake Packer, RCSA open division com missioner, explains that this year’s Portland Cup tourney follows in the historical foot steps of most gay sports leagues’ focus on recreational fun, with multiple divisions for teams based on the cumulative abilities of its players. As Packer reports, very competi tive teams with a high degree of skill level don’t face teams with newer players and/or a lower level of abilities. There’s also a Wom- en’s B and C Division, featuring the Seattle Changes, and the Portland Dirty Grrlz. “This relative equality in each division puts the competition aspects on more even footing, making the experience all the more enjoyable for all teams,” Packer says. The Portland Cup doesn’t hold back with the post-game social functions, either. RCSA traditionally partners with local gay or gay- friendly businesses to ensure a unique experi ence for ball players after they hang the spikes up for the night. This year, Scandals, CC Slaughters and Starky’s are hosting eve ning events August 13-15, respectively. “These are usually very well attended, as a lot of these players see each other on what we could call the Gay Softball Circuit year after year in various cities,” Packer says. “It’s always a big opportunity to socialize and catch up since the last time they crossed paths at a tournament.” Delta Park has food, beverages and beer available in the central complex, fueling at tendees until Sunday afternoon’s finals for the various divisions. mwvm Thanks to the Dept, of Justice, Interested in participating? There’s time left to register through August 5. Team reg istration fees are $375—the experience is priceless. JM The Portland Cup takes place A ugust 1 3 -1 4 , w ith fin a ls on A ugust 15 fr o m 9 a.m. to 6 p.m . For more inform ation, v isit portlandcup.org. Additionally, the Lesbian C om m unity Project's a n nual L C P Womens Softball Tournam ent o f WE ARE CLOSED. Stop the Federal Government's attacks on medical marijuana patients. Choice is slated fo r A ugust 5 - 7 in Brush Prairie, Wash. Team registration isfull, b u tfo r inform a tion on attending, v isit letsplaylcp.com. Thank You Cannabis.
