Santa Barbara Outrigger Canoe Club (SBOCC) invites new paddlers in the community to join for the 2022 season. Outrigger canoeing is an ancient paddling sport with origins in Hawaii and Polynesia.
Anyone interested in the sport can attend a paddling open house at 9 a.m. on Saturdays March 5, 12 and 19 at West Beach near Sea Landing. Those attending will have the opportunity to actually sit and paddle in an outrigger canoe, in the harbor, with current club members to get a feel for paddling with a team. Email any questions to sboutriggercc@gmail.com.
“It’s a great sport with an awesome, diverse group of people,” said Shoham Yaniv club president. “We have folks of all athletic backgrounds, of all ages, who enjoy swimming, surfing, stand up paddling, running, you name it.
“Outrigger is also a great way to stay active, foster healthy competition, and meet new people while being outdoors, which is very important during this pandemic.”
The season officially opens Monday, March 14 with the first team practice. Boats launch from West Beach, near Sea Landing. The women’s team practices at 5:30 p.m. Mondays and Wednesdays; the men’s team practices at 5:30 p.m. Tuesdays and Thursdays; and both teams alternate Saturday mornings.
In addition to practices and races (May through September), SBOCC offers community events such as Kids Paddle Out and corporate paddles for companies looking for a team building experience. Sponsorships are also available.
SBOCC is a nonprofit dedicated to providing its members with opportunities to race, competing at all levels of competition; from local regional races to world championships in junior, open, master and senior masters divisions. For more, visit www.sbocc.org or email sboutriggercc@gmail.com.