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THE END IS NEAR! PARTY TIME.
Sept 1, 2009

Let's hope the rain hold off for the final race of the season! It's going to be a bit shorter anyway so you will be out and back in no time. Then it's off to the Rocky Mountain Flatbread Company for the series party!

We still have approximately 15 tickets left for the party so come early to registration to buy one.

Results from race number 9 are now posted as well. Great to see another 60 paddles out.

All our kayaks are now booked but we have one canoe left. Ecomarine is renting boats for this one so give them a call to reserve a boat.

RACE NUMBER EIGHT IN THE BAG
August 6, 2009
photos by Kelli Power

It was another fantastic night to be on the water. 56 paddlers hit the water with a solid contingent of first timers taking part in the Little Chop. Once again, it was Chris Dobrovolny clocking the fastest time followed closely by John Markez.

Ryan was manning the BBQ and cooking up the post race smokies. We also had a cooler of cold beverages that seemed to be a hit with the racers. Of course, everyone stayed for the heaps of draw prizes.

There are only two more sessions of the Big Chop and tickets for the Series Party are now on sale. We sold a bunch of them tonight and the rest will most likely go at race #9. Tickets are $15 each and include pizza and salad at the Rocky Mountain Flatbread Company.

BRING PRIZING FOR THE PILE!
Wednesday, July 15, 2009
photos by Roger Krygsveld

For some reason, I forgot to post the results for Week #5 and now I'm late on Week #6! Sorry! But to make up for it, I have added a whole bunch of photo galleries. Look to the right beside the Results and there are photo links for Race #2, #3, #5, and #6. When I get a bit more time, I'll work on adding images for Race #1 and #4.

The Big Chop continues to draw many newbies in addition to all the regulars. The MEC pre-race clinics continue to run at full capacity and requires bookings weeks in advance.

Thanks again to all our amazing sponsors and volunteers for their continued support. Special mention this week goes out to Ross Hales at Stohlquist for bringing out his gas powered blender. Also, it's great to finallly have the Helly Hansen prizing on the table. And thanks to Brian and Trista for donating the movie gift certificates!

If you have something from home or from the company you work for, please feel free to bring it and add it to the pile!

DID YOU MISS ME?
Tuesday, July 7, 2009
photos by Roger Krygsveld

Sorry to have missed race #5 of the Big Chop Summer Paddle Series. I was offered a free entry to the Coast Capital Savings Charity Golf Tournament at Northview and I couldn't pass that up! Thanks to Ryan and the rest of the Big Chop volunteer crew for running the race without me!

THE FUN TIMES JUST KEEP ON ROLLIN'
Thursday, June 11, 2009
photos by Roger Krygsveld

The mouth of False Creek was filled with Big and Little Choppers with all levels of paddling abilities from the super pro like national level paddler, Dion Maxwell, to first timer like Melissa and Emily.

HOT AND SUNNY. JUST HOW THE BIG CHOPPERS LIKE IT.
Saturday, May 30, 2009
photos by Roger Krygsveld

American, Eric Moll, was in town and dropped in on the Big Chop to show us the power of the paddle south of the 49th. Another 60 paddlers followed in his wake all motivated to get to the finish line and chow down on a post race smokie. Moll finished the 9km course in 43:47 followed by Deep Cove Kayak owner, Bob Putnam. Carolyn Daubney made her first appearance of the season and was the fastest female across the line. It was Bob Price and Mae Segar who took home the Little Chop crown.

Sheila Jonnes wins the Kayaking for Fitness book donated from Ecomarine Kayak Co.

George Power wins a tech top donated from MEC (I think it will look better on his wife, Kelly, though)

SMOOTHIES, HOTDOGS, AND SOME PADDLING
Friday, May 14, 2009
photos by Roger Krygsveld

We were all sad that the Canucks lost to Chicago, but at least people weren't conflicted over what to do on a sunny Thursday evening. We had 60 eager paddlers on the start line including seven year old Olivia Kelly and a Stand Up Paddle Boarder, Dale Rollins. Stolhquist's Ross Hale was back with his gas powered blender making everyone post race smoothies while Robyn was on the BBQ cooking up a feast of hotdogs.

We had a whole bunch of first time Big Choppers who survived the challenges of the Little Chop Course which took them out to Second Beach and back. Chris D was the speediest guy on the Big Chop course edging out Warren Bruce and Gary and Marshall in the double surfski.

A special thanks goes out to all the volunteers tonight! Thanks Robyn, Roger, Stu, Dave, Deanna, Kelly, George, and Graeme! And another shout out goes to all our sponsors especially those that made it out to paddle and show their spirit!

Great shot with the Planetarium and the Vancouver Children's Festival in the backgrond.

THE BIG CHOP TAKES ON THE CANUCKS
Thursday, April 30, 2009

Despite going head to head with the Canucks vs Blackhawks in game one of the playoffs, we had a solid turnout of paddlers for the first race of the MEC Big Chop Summer Paddle Series. 51 non-hockey fans ( ;0) ) took to the waters in either the 4km or 8km paddle race and it was France's Jean Rillard who won tonight's event. You can find the results are on the right sidebar.

Highlights of the night included Stohlquist's Ross Hale making strawberry smoothies using his gas powered blender followed by the large turnout of first time Big Choppers!

The next race is on May 13th. Remember that you can purchase a Season's Pass for $80 next week and it includes a Helly Hansen Lifa Cool tech top valued at $40.

Thanks to our sponsors, volunteers, and you the racer for coming out and supporting the Big Chop!

CITYTV VISITS THE BIG CHOP
Monday, April 27, 2009

CityTV's Breakfast Television reporter, Greg Harper, was out learning to paddle at the MEC Big Chop Summer Paddle Series promo this morning. It was a beautiful day on the water as we simulated the Big Chop for the morning viewers.

Big THANKS to the crew at CityTV for the feature and to Stuart, Gary, Mark, Morgan, Steven, Kimberley, and Amanda for being our 'extras!'

PS All the double kayaks are booked up but you can rent one from Ecomarine Kayaking for the same rates. It's a short walk to get your boat and a quick warmup paddle back to the Big Chop beach. Call Ecomarine at (604) 689-7575.

WELCOME ECOMARINE!
Wednesday, March 4, 2009

The MEC Big Chop Summer Paddle Series is please to welcome Ecomarine Kayak Centre to the team of sponsors. Ecomarine will join us as a prizing sponsor and with that comes even more great prizes to add to the heaping table of goodies every week. AND at the final race/party, the will be offering a grand prize package featuring a kayaking season’s pass, allowing the winner to use a kayak 2 hours per day for an entire year from date of 1st paddle! This is an over $500 value!

For over 29 years Ecomarine has focused on supporting Vancouver’s passion for paddling. The retail store on Granville Island offers a complete selection of boats, gear, and accessories for any kayaker. Whether you are a first-timer or an experienced paddler, Ecomarine has exactly what you are looking for. They also have an ocean kayaking school where their goal is to make a positive difference in people’s lives through paddling. We are constantly sharing with others what we know in an effective and supportive environment. Our small class sizes, passionate staff and excellent facilities combine to make learning kayaking easy and fun. Get started on your paddling journey. Get kayaking with the specialists at Ecomarine. Stop by for a browse while you are on the island. We look forward to your visit!

2009 SEASON ANNOUNCED!
Monday, January 26, 2009

Mountain Equipment Coop is back on board for another year and that means that we are a go for year three of the MEC Big Chop Summer Paddle Series!

The new 2009 race schedule has now been posted to the website so you can save the dates in your calendar. We will be spending the next few months getting all of our other sponsors secured so we can have a heaping pile of draw prizes at each race.

If you know of a company that may want to join the Big Chop sponsorship team, please feel free to send them our way!

ONE HAPPY KAYAKER
Monday, November 24, 2008

Brian Page finally got his hands on his brand new Seaward Infiniti kayak this past weekend. Brian won the prize at the final race this year. Big thanks to Jacquie Ree from Seaward for bringing the boat over! And another BIG thanks to Seaward for sponsoring this wicked prize.

SEASON 2 OF THE BIG CHOP COMES TO AN END
Sunday, Sept 14, 2008

We had a huge turnout for the final Big Chop of the season. The start line featured 70 boats and 98 total paddlers -- the most by far we've ever had over the past two years! The race was a short 6.5km for the Big Chop and 3.5km for the Little Chop. We kept it short so that we could get to the party at the Rocky Mountain Flatbread Company where we had heaps of prizes to give out.

We had a few new faces competing at the front of the pack today. Dion Maxwell and Graham Smith finished first and second followed by six time Big Chop winner, Shane Martin. You can read a good post race report on the Surfski BC blog that details the action from the fasties.

The Big Chop would like to give a BIG Thank You to all the racers, volunteers, and sponsors for making the year an incredible success! We truly appreciate all your continued support and we look forward to see you next year!

Six year old Olivia Kelly and her dad, Matt, paddle the double surfski to a second place finish in their category.

Calvin, aka Paki Nui, may not be that photogenic but he sure can paddle ;0) -- Paki was the first Outrigger to cross the line.

75 year old Florida Town was at half the Big Chops this year. Here she shows off her Helly Hansen shirt prize. Husband Hugh patiently waits for his new t-shirt...

Jeannette wins the Accent Wing Blade paddle to go with the Stohlquist PFD she won earlier in the season.

Look to the back and you will see Gary Cassulis holding up his Accent paddle prize... I had just called his name for the Think Kayak prize but because he already won the paddle, he wasn't eligble... poor guy...

But Gary's loss meant that Na'ama Yehezkel was the big winner of the Think Evo Surfski. Think's owner, Darryl Remmler was on hand to personally award her the prize.

And the final prize of the night was the MEGA MEC PRIZE PACKAGE valued at over $1000. Camillia Brinkman from MEC awarded the prize to Big Chop regular Ryan Ulanski.

THE FINAL MAP ...
Thursday, September 11, 2008

Ryan Pogue has finalized the course map for tonight's race. He made it a bit shorter for the Big Chop so that we can get to the party that much quicker! Click here to view the map (PDF 1.6mb)

All the double kayaks are now completely booked but we do have two canoes available. If you really want to paddle a double kayak, you may want to give EcoMarine on Granville Island a call and rent one from them. It's a very quick paddle from their location to the race start. You will have some added logistics but it shouldn't be that bad.

PADDLING, PARTYING, AND PRIZING... OH MY...
Monday, September 8, 2008

We are just a few days away from the final race in the MEC Big Chop Summer Paddle Series and the year end party! The season has flown by and it has been another great year of paddling down at Vanier. The party will be a great way for all of us to celebrate with a cold beer, pizza, and a massive amount of draw prizes!

You need a ticket to come to the after-party and WE ONLY HAVE 20 TICKETS LEFT. You can reserve one by emailing info@bigchop.ca and then you can pick them up before the race starts. Tickets are $10 each.

9 DOWN... ONE TO GO...
Thursday, August 21, 2008

Jeff Raymond paddles his THINK ahead of Sean Gibson and John Markez (photo by Roger Krygsveld)

The clouds parted just in time for the penultimate race of the series. A spirited crowd of 56 paddlers took on the Big Chop tonight with a good mix of sea kayaks, outriggers, surfskis, and dug out canoes.

Shane Martin won the race and is now six for six. Carolyn Daubney also had an strong race and was the top solo female.

It was great to see Fran and Nan back for their second time paddling ever. Tyson Brooks brought out Na'oma and it was her very first time paddling. Elaine Rutter was another newbie and finished the Little Chop in great spirits.

Six year old Olivia Kelly was back paddling a double surfski with her dad Matt. Olivia's mom, Michelle White, was also out and raced in a OC2 with Jacqualine McAra. Olivia beat her mom by two minutes! Olivia also won another draw prize bringing her total up to three weeks of winning.

Tonight's BIG THANKS goes out to Robyn Pogue who has been cooking up all the hot dogs and fried onions for the season. Tonight was her last night of BBQ'ing since we are going for pizza for the final race.

QUICK NOTES FROM THE ORGANIZERS...
Monday, August 18, 2008

Please note that all of our DOUBLE KAYAKS ARE ALL BOOKED UP. We do have single boats available as well as the canoes. To reserve, please email info@bigchop.ca.

Also, remember that tickets for the Series Party will be on sale at this race. Tickets are going fast and we expect this event to sell out. For more info on the shindig at the Rocky Mountain Flatbread Co., go to the Race Info page for details.

This will be the last race for the smokies! We'll try to order some more for you hungry eaters. We'll have some beer in the cooler but you may want to bring a few of your own (or a communal case) since some of you seem to be having more than one.

RACE #8 - WHOLE LOTTA NEWBIES. WATER WAS BROWN.
Friday, August 7, 2008

Arleen Pogue (in green) and the MEC staff gives some instructions before the race to the newbie paddlers on where to go.

Over 50 paddlers took on the eighth session of the MEC Big Chop Summer Paddle Series including an unusually large contingent of newbie paddlers in the Little Chop course.

Carolyn Daubney leads out the pack and was the fastest solo female paddler out tonight.

The water was a very gross brown tonight so it's a good thing that no one from the Big Chop flipped tonight. Although we did see one OC6 'huli' right at the dock as they were finishing their paddle.

It was Shane Martin winning his fifth race of the season by a fairly large margin. The battle for second was a good one though with Bob Putnam from Deep Cove Kayaks, Jeff Raymond from Think Kayaks, and last year's series winner Chris Dobrovolny all hammering it to the finish line with Raymond edging out Putnam by a boat length (photo above).

The newbies did really well in the Big Chop and although they looked a bit tentative at the start, they came into the finish looking really pro. It was Eileen Bistrisky and Tyson Brooks that paddled their Seaward Passat across the finish line first.

Ecomarine's Michael Callahan, Sean Gibson, and Jeff Raymond share a cold beer from Lighthouse Brewing Co.

Volunteer Robyn was solo tonight on the BBQ and cooked up another amazing feast of smokies with fried onions and a great selection of condiments. I also brought out two flats of beer from Lighthouse Brewing Co. that I had left over from my last Mind Over Mountain Adventure Race in Shawnigan Lake.

Almost everyone stuck around until the end for another table full of draw prizes. Tonight we had some new schwag from Think Kayaks too and Gary Parsons from the Oceanman race gave away an entry to his race at the end of the month.

Over half of the tickets for the Series Party at Rocky Mountain Flatbread Co. have been sold. Another chunk, if not all, should go in week #9 so please come prepared to buy your tickets if you haven't already. Remember that you have be at the party to win any of the prizes! And remember that every time you enter a Big Chop, you get one entry in the draw box!

Product placement... Helly Hansen Lifa top, Lasso Security Cable, Old Town t-shirt, Think t-shirt, Ryders Eyeware...

Everyone went home with some free razors from Schick Xtreme3 including first time paddlers Emma and Niki.

Thanks to everyone for coming out! A special shout out to the volunteers whom I forgot to acknowledge during the awards!!!

GET READY TO PARTY! ROCKY MOUNTAIN FLATBREAD CO TO HOST THE SERIES FINALE PARTY AND AWARDS
Monday, August 4, 2008

The Series Party and Awards is now all set! Rocky Mountain Flatbread Co. will once again be our hosts for the much anticipated Big Chop Shindig! Here are the details... Please pay special attention to the fact that we are only selling 80 tickets on a first come, first serve basis. This WILL sell out early because anyone with a good head for math will realize that the a 1 in 80 chance of winning of the major prize packages is pretty darn good!

SCHEDULE:
6:00pm race registration opens;
7:00 race starts;
8:00 doors open
8:15 food served
9:00 award ceremony
11:30 end

VENUE: Rocky Mountain Flatbread Co.
1876 W 1st Avenue (between Cypress and Burrard), Vancouver, BC
* Click HERE for a Google Map

PRIZES: MASSIVE table prizes that will include the grand prize draw for a Think Evo Surfski, a Seaward Infiniti Kayak, two Accent wing blade paddles, and mega prize packages from Helly Hansen and MEC.

TICKETS: Tickets to the Big Chop Party will be $10 each which includes 4 slices of pizza and a chance to win over $8000 worth of draw prizes! Only 80 tickets will be sold so buy yours early to avoid missing out on the goodies. Tickets will go on sale on Race #8 (Aug 7th).

FOOD: A selection of pizza will be available but each person is limited to 4 slices each. Salads and other items will be available to order separately if you desire.

WEEK #7 - BIG TURNOUT FOR THE BIG CHOP
Tuesday, July 29, 2008

Sorry for the delay getting the results and photos up from last Thursday's Big Chop. I was away on the Island for the Mind Over Mountain Adventure Race in Shawnigan Lake.

It was great to hear that there was finally some nice summer weather to attract out a sizable crowd of paddlers for the 7th edition of the Big Chop.

Shane Martin was out and took home his 4th win of the series with Jeff Raymond close behind. Carolyn Daubney was the top female.

The next race is on August 7th. Be sure to reserve your kayak rentals EARLY because they are booking up really fast lately -- especially the doubles.

Jeff Raymond in his Think kayak makes the turn on his way to a second place finish.

Six year old, Olivia Kelly, wins the Stolquist PFD. It might be a while before she grows into it though.

LE GRAND REMOU -- THAT'S "THE BIG CHOP" IN FRENCH
Saturday, July 12, 2008

Up the Creek with a paddle... First time Big Choppers and newbie paddlers, Erin and Stacey Creak paddle pass the Sandbar and the Arts Club Lounge.

If you're going to wear a Helly Hansen Lifa top and paddle the Think Fit -- two of our Series Sponsors -- there's a pretty good chance you're going to get your photo on the Big Chop Blog! Here is Kris Lindal working it for our sponsors.

Tonight we had paddlers from France join us at "Le Grand Remou." Fred Rouquet (top left) and his two kids Tiska (top right) and Akiloe (in with Eileen Bistrisky) jumped in canoes and paddled the Little Chop.

Cathrine Zabroski and Dean Wutke have been using the Big Chop to train for the Gorge Games 24 Hour Adventure Race. The race will be taking place next weekend down in Washington State. Good luck guys!

Tonight was one of those nights we really were happy to have our safety boat out on the water. Thanks Dave, Deanna, and the Boys for all your help!!!

Team France... Akiloe, Fred, Tiska, and Eileen at the awards. Akiloe was the big winner of the night taking home the Accent Wing Blade Paddle.

HOLY BIG CHOP!
Friday, July 11, 2008

It was a true 'big chop' last night as the wind howled all day long. The surfskis and outriggers couldn't wait for the race to start while some of the kayakers were a bit nervous of all the whitecaps out west.

Ryan Pogue made the wise decisiion to go to Plan B and sent racers of the Big Chop and Little Chop into False Creek where the seas were much more calm. However, he gave the more ambitious paddlers the option to do a small loop out to the Red Can so they could play in the swells which created the "Really Really Big Chop" course option..

During the race, only Lannie Thelan went swimming (three times) and had to be brought in by our safety boat. The Coast Guard was also out there doing a total of eight rescues that night (not from the Big Chop!) and helped bring Lannie's boat back to the dock.

I'm tight for time so I'll post more photos later this weekend. But check out the photo above of little 6 year old Olivia in the big chop!

Results are posted on the right. Alan Carlson made his first appearance of the year and was the fast boat tonight.

Thanks to all the volunteers and sponsors for coming out and being part of the Big Chop!!!

HUMP NIGHT AT THE BIG CHOP
Friday, June 27, 2008

Last night's race marked the halfway point of the MEC Big Chop series. I thought this one would have been a hot and sunny night of paddling but we once again had cool temperatures just like every one of the past four. Still, a field of 40 paddlers took to the water including 6 year old Olivia Kelly and 75 year old Florida Town. Jeff Raymond dominated tonight's race and paddled his Think EVO to victory for the second week in a row. Thanks to everyone for coming out! Thanks to the volunteers! Thanks to the sponsors for loading up the prize table! And Thanks to the Happy Planet girls for coming out with the sample bottles of HP! Here are the photos taken by Roger and me (wasn't that a movie?).

For the first time, we had a Polo Kayak take part in the Big Chop! Catherine O'Brien hot dogs at the finish line for the camera.

Just a quick summary of all the boat types we've had at the Big Chop... single kayak, double kayak, surfski, OC1, OC2, OC3, paddleboard, regular canoe, dugout canoe, marathon canoe, and now the polo kayaks? What are we missing? Whitewater kayak, row boat, pedal boat, driftwood log, ...

The prize table! New this year was the smoke salmon prize packages donated by volunteer Stu!

Sheila "two N's" Jonnes wins the GSI Vortex hand blender. Maybe she'll make us some margaritas for the next Big Chop???

Sarah, Jeannette, Paul, George, and Doug. Yes the Big Chop does have some free beer for the first 24 to the cooler... Since we only have 24, you may want to bring your own and share with your friends...

Another quick summary... for your race fee last night, Big Choppers got to race in the best city in the world, a free Carb-Boom gel, a smokie, chips, Happy Planet juice, pop, beer, cookies, oranges, ~1 in 3 chance in winning something cool from our prize table (over $750 worth of product given away every night). Wow... All for $8.00!!!! This is easily the best deal in town!!!

PADDLEFEST IN VANCOUVER JULY 6
Saturday, June 14, 2008

WHEN: Sunday, July 6, 2008
WHERE: Ambleside Park, West Vancouver
WHAT: Paddlefest is an urban celebration of kayaking, canoeing, and the ocean environment in BC. The day will feature learning opportunities on water and on land. Paddlers of all skill levels are welcome. This is a family-friendly event. It offers opportunities to test boats and equipment from various watersports manufacturers, and has something for every paddler, from beginner to expert.
MORE INFO: Click Here

TAKE THE BIG WILD CHALLENGE
Saturday, June 14, 2008

While surfing the MEC website, I came across the promo for The Big Wild Challenge. The site encourages people to create an adventure and post it on the website. The adventure must be a self propelled trip lasting a minimum of 24 hours in the wilderness with no fixed roof shelter.

So, if any of you Big Choppers have a trip planned this summer, this is the place to make it public. Maybe you have a paddle trip planned to the Bowron Lakes or in Desolation Sound?

RAYMOND BEATS PUTNAM BY A HAIR. 6 YEAR OLD PADDLES THE PASSAT
Thursday, June 12, 2008

55 paddlers took to the start line of the Big Chop. it was a better than expected turnout especially considering the crappy weather we've been having. Here are a series of great photos taken by Arleen Pogue. We'll see everyone in two weeks and let's hope for the hot sun!

Jeff Raymond in the yellow tipped Think Evo pulls a 'wheelie' as he battles Deep Cove Kayak's Bob Putnam to the finish line.

It was the first time the OC3 made an appearance at the Big Chop with Graeme, Kim, and Ryan.

ROUND BOWEN ISLAND RESULTS
Tuesday, June 10, 2008

Congratulations to all the Big Choppers who took part in this past weekend's Round Bowen Island 32km paddle race.

3 FOR 3 SHANE IS STREAKING
Thursday, May 29th, 2008

I see a trend developing. For the last three races, Shane Martin has been the fastest Big Chopper this side of the Burrard Street Bridge. THINK Kayaks's Jeff Raymond is there right on Shane's tail but never past. How long can Shane go before we see a new boat first across the line? Keep up the strong paddling, Shane!

Now, the Big Chop is a race and everyone is moving fast out there, but for the vast majority of the 60ish paddlers, it's all about being on the water with some like minded people with a splash of competition, a mouthful of smokies, a swig of lemonade, and the hope of winning something for our HEAP of draw prizes!

Having said that, Marshall House did lodge a formal complaint against Sean Gibson for some agressive moves at the finish line. But we didn't really listen to Marhsall so we awarded Sean with the biggest draw prizes of the night... the Accent Wing Blade Paddle! Marshall was joking of course, but if I were Sean, I would keep a close eye on the new paddle at the next race...

Thanks again to all the incredible volunteers, sponsors, and racers for your continued support of the Big Chop! Please tell your friends and encourage them to give it a try. The Little Chop is great for beginners and the MEC does offer FREE demos before every race night.

Safety boat volunteers Dave and Deanna in their new Helly Hansen staff jackets. Photo by Roger.

We'll see you in two weeks. And a reminder that if you want to reserve a kayak, you might want to do it soon as we booked out all the kayaks tonight.

Sean Gibson with Co-Race Director, Bryan Tasaka was the winner of the Accent paddle. Photo by Arleen Pogue.

COURSE MAPS NOW ONLINE
Wednesday, May 28th, 2008

Things are really getting organized at the Big Chop! Ryan has put together all the course maps for the rest of the season (excluding the finale) so go to the Schedule Page to check them out. Basically, there are three course routes and we'll rotate through them every third session.

The weather is looking good for tomorrow's race! I have some Edge drink samples to give out and some new Schick Xtreme3 razors.

AND the new Big Chop Helly Hansen tech tops will be making their debut. We will have a few extras to sell if you didn't get one with your series pass.

RACE #2 - RESULTS AND PHOTOS
Thursday, May 15th, 2008

Summer is here! The weather was so nice tonight and the harbour was alive with happy paddlers and drunks on boat cruises. We had 60 paddlers out tonight and I'm starting to worry that any more might make things a bit too crazy. But we'll cross that proverbial bridge when we get to it.

It was Shane Martin crossing the finish line first with Jeff Raymond right behind him. Big Chop's own Ryan Pogue and Graham Galves were the speediest OC2 and Lina Augaitis and Gary Cassilus paddled the Seaward Passat G3 to a first place in the double coed kayak category. The link to the full results are on the right.

It was good to see Bob Putnam from Deep Cove Kayaks out tonight along with his 13 year old son. It also seems like we are getting more and more MEC staff out taking on the Big Chop too! Awesome!

And talk about prizes! Tonight we had prizes from Helly Hansen and a wing blade paddle from Accent Paddles added to our already impressive lineup of amazing prizes. The Big Chop sponsors are the best!

Thanks to all the volunteers who helped out tonight! You guys are great!!! Special mention goes to Roger Krygsveld for taking all these great photos!

The next race is on May 29th. Remeber that we have two Think Surfskis for you to rent. If you want to try one out, just email me to book it... info@bigchop.ca.

DO THE BIG CHOP FOR A CHANCE TO WIN A KAYAK!
Saturday, May 3, 2008

Remember that every Big Chop you do, gets your named entered into the draw at the end of the season.

MEC is offering FREE demo clinics before every Big Chop to all newbie paddlers. The MEC staff (pictured above) to give you confidence on the water.

For all of you seasoned and experienced paddlers, please pass this info on to your friends and family and encourage them to come out and give paddling a try.

You must reserve your spot in advance by calling the MEC Service Centre at 604-709-6241. Please book early as space is limited and it does book up quickly.

BACK TO THE BIG CHOP. 50 PADDLERS KICK OFF SEASON 2 WITH A BANG.
Saturday, May 3, 2008

The MEC Big Chop Summer Paddle Series kicked off its second season with 50 paddlers on the start line, tons of draw prizes, and an after race social with smokies, lemonade, chips, and watermelon! Results are now posted on the right. Thanks to everyone for coming out and we'll see you on May 15th! Photo by Roger Krygsveld.

Wicked shot of Denise and Mike Billy in the dugout canoe, Leonara Chao and Mel Whital in the OC2, Sean Gibson in a surfski, and Gary Cassulis and Marshall House (hidden) in the Seaward Passat G3 kayak. Photo by Roger Krygsveld.

Two THINK surfskis battle it out with a marathon canoe. In the yellow Think EVO is Think's owner, Darryl Remmler. Photo by Arleen Pogue.

Stolquist/H20 Audio rep, Mel Whital has a laugh but Florida Town has her 'game face' on as they prepare for the start of the race. FYI, Florida is 71 years young and was last year's SERIES winner (female) of the Big Chop. Photo by Roger Krygsveld.

Sarah Newman and first time padller, Jeanette Gibault, take on the Little Chop's 4km course in the Seaward Passat G3. Photo by Roger Krygsveld.

On Darrell Pearse's blog, he wrote this about his encounter with Todd McPhee and MEC's Mark Kelly's canoe...

First time Big Chopper, Timberly George, was the lucky winner of the very cool Vortex Blender from GSI. Photo by Arleen Pogue.

WHO WANTS TO WIN A SURF SKI???
Sunday, April 27, 2008

Your hands must be getting sore from having to clap so much for all of our great sponsors that have been joining the Big Chop series! Well suck it up because you have to clap REALLY loud for our newest Series Sponsor... THINK KAYAKS!

Think has donated an EVO model surf ski for the Grand Prize draw at the end of the season. This kayak is worth $2,400 retail and is available at MEC. For every Big Chop you race, you will get one entry into the draw at the Series Party.

GSI OUTDOORS JOINS THE BIG CHOP
Friday, April 25, 2008

We have another sponsor! Coming in at the Prizing Level, we would like to welcome GSI Outdoors to the Big Chop team of sponsors. GSI Outdoors is in the business of making cookware and dining products that adapt the comforts of home to active outdoor lifestyles at the campsite, base camp and anywhere in between.

In 1985, brothers Don and Ian Scott and sister Kathy started the company in San Diego and then moved to Spokane, Washington in 1995, where they have been ever since. In 2001, GSI Outdoors started distributing outdoor related gifts under the name of Outside Inside. What began as a small distribution company selling blue enamel tableware has expanded into the design, manufacturing, sales and marketing of an innovative array of outdoor cookware and a whole range of eating and drinking products that are technical, innovative and fun.

WELCOME NEW SPONSORS!
Monday, April 14, 2008

We would like to welcome Ryders Eyewear and Crave 95.3 to our team of sponsors. Ryders is on board as a prize sponsor so after each race, one lucky paddler will win a pair of sunglasses.

Crave 95.3 is Vancouver's best music station playing all your favorite tunes. Crave will be helping us spread the good word about the Big Chop and hopefully we'll see twice the number of boats on the water.

STAY HH COOL THIS SUMMER WITH LIFA COOL
Tuesday, April 1, 2008

Helly Hansen is now a proud Series Sponsor of the MEC Big Chop Summer Paddle Series. Every paddler who signs up for the entire series will receive a LIFA COOL tech top screened with the Big Chop logo. You can also try your luck with the post race draw prizes where we will be giving them away to one lucky winner. And Helly Hansen will be packaging a big prize pacakge for the final race of the season. Check out Helly Hansen at www.hellyhansen.com to see their full product line up.

CITYTV, CITYTV, CITYTV!!!
Friday, March 28, 2008

We would like to welcome Citytv to the Big Chop team of sponsors. Watch Citytv for all your favorite shows and movies. Be sure to start your day off right with a dose of BT-Breakfast Television with Simi & Dave starting at 6am. Big THANKS to Ashley over at Citytv for setting us up!

HELP WANTED: Event Coordinator
Saturday, February 23, 2008

The Big Chop is looking to hire an Event Coordinator to help out with the Big Chop this year. This is a contract position that would require your attendance at each of the ten races in the series. If you are interested, please click HERE for more details.

MEC IS BACK!
Saturday, February 23, 2008

The Big Chop is happy to announce the return of Mountain Equipment Co-op as the title sponsor of the series. MEC, with stores in on Broadway and in North Vancouver, continues to be the 'go to' store to find all your paddling and outdoor gear.

We would like to extend a BIG thanks to Mark Kelly and all the staff at MEC for their support of the Big Chop!

MEC will be hosting free 'learn to kayak' demos before every race. Also, look for a ton of great prizes from MEC to be drawn after every race.

PROMOTING UNDER THE DOME
Saturday, February 23, 2008

It was a fun filled time under the dome last weekend as the Big Chop was out spreading the good word during the Outdoor Adventure Show. Ryan Pogue (Pogue Sports) and Bryan Tasaka (Mind Over Mountain Adventure Racing) created a forest display complete with real trees and fake rocks from the Vancouver Film Studio. We also had the Berg Bike on display along with a really flashy kayak.

Thanks to everyone for stopping by to say hi or to ask us what the Big Chop is all about! Remember the season starts on May 1st and we have tons of prizes already lined up including some REALLY BIG ones!

BE A BIG CHOP SPONSOR!
Thursday, February 14, 2008

The Big Chop is inviting businesses to join our 2008 Team of Sponsors. We are offering a variety of sponorship package with excellent value that will help your business strengthen its brand image with the paddling world. If you or someone you know has a business that interested in being part of the Big Chop, please have them call Bryan at 604-999-3331 or email info@bigchop.ca.

GET READY FOR 2008!
Wednesday, January 30, 2008

Planning for the 2nd Annual MEC Big Chop Summer Paddle Series is now underway. The 10 race series will return on Thursday, May 1st, with the same great times, heaps of prizing, and mouth watering smokies! Mark your calendars, save the date, and tell your friends!

BIG CHOP ENDS WITH A BEER!
Monday, September 24th, 2007

What a great end to the inaugural MEC Big Chop Summer Paddle Series! The tenth race of the series drew out a record number of participants, all of whom, were hoping to win the prized Seaward Cosma kayak.

After a night that featured a 3.5 km Little Chop and a 7km Big Chop course, and a finish well after sunset, everyone headed over to the Rocky Mountain Flatbread Co. The Big Chop provided free pizza to all participants and everyone hung out and socialized with a few cold beers.

Chris Dobravolny and Florida Town held on to their series lead in the final race to be crowned the series champions! But it was the dude in the photo below (sorry, I forgot your name!) who won the kayak prize! It was his first time out at the Big Chop! What a lucky guy!

Ryan and I would like to extend a BIG thank you to to eveyone who helped make the Big Chop a grand success! THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU!!! We'll see you again in May of 2008. Tell your friends!!!

The winner of the Seaward Cosma TX poses with race organizers, Ryan Pogue and Bryan Tasaka (l-r).

SERIES FINALE TONIGHT!
Thursday, September 20th, 2007

The 10th and final race in the MEC Big Chop Summer Paddle Series goes tonight at 7pm. Tonight's race will determine the Series Champion which will either be Chris Dobravolny or Marshall House (Chris leads by 3 points) for the men's crown. On the women's side, 75 year old Florida Town has an 8 point lead on Carolyn Daubney.

We will also be giving out over $4000 worth of draw prizes including the Seaward Cosma TX kayak!

We will be heading to the Rocky Mountain Flatbread Company for our final social night and the awards ceremony. The Big Chop will be providing participants with pizza instead of smokies this time.

NAVIGATE THE STREETS
Tuesday, September 11th, 2007

the paddle season will be over soon and I'm sure many of you will be looking for something to do. Check out Navigate the Streets on Saturday, October 13th, for one exciting race in Downtown Vancouver.

You and your partner must solve 10 clues that reveal the location of the secret checkpoints. You can travel on foot or use any form of public transit. You will also have a Support Captain on your team that will help you solve the clues using the Internet.

Navigate the Streets is giving away a $2000 Grand Prize Shopping Spree to the new Helly Hansen store!

This is a fundraiser for the Make a Wish Foundation. Come out and take on this 'amazing race' and support a great cause.

OH, THE SUNSET
Tuesday, September 11th, 2007

It was all about the sunset at Race #9 in the MEC Big Chop Summer Paddle Series. The sky was a brilliant orange and red much like the colours of our poster design. Roger and Colin took some amazing photos and the 30+ participants all thought it was a great night to be in a kayak.

Jeff Raymond was the fastest male and Carolyn Daubney took first in the female. 75 year old, Florida Town, has a commanding lead for the Series Female Title, but the battle on the men's side is really tight with Chris Drobravolny only 3 points up on the surging Marshall House.

More smokies and over $600 worth of prizing was given out to everyone that stuck around for the post race festivities.

The Series Finale is on September 20th. It'll be a short race, 3.5 for the Little Chop and 6-7km for the Big Chop, and everyone is invited to head to the Rocky Mountain Flatbread Company immediately after the race were we will awarding the series winners and giving out a TON of prizing including the Seaward Kayak. Total prizing will be well over $3000!!!

Be sure to bring a change of clothes! The Big Chop will be buying everyone a drink of their choice.

TWO MORE TO GO!
Wednesday, August 29, 2007

We're down to our final two sessions of the MEC Big Chop Summer Paddle Series. Race #9 is on Sept 6th and features an optional Orienteering stage following the paddle. This stage is not that difficult and I suggest everyone give it a try. You just have to have your runners ready after the paddle and then you're off with a map for a 2km adventure! Bonus series points are available.

And an ealry announcement that the Series Finale is coming up on Sept 20th. To celebrate the end of our inaugural year, we are going to head over to the Rocky Mountain Flatbread Company for post race food and drinks. We'll be doing all our awards and prizing there so be sure to bring a change of clothes for after. We have a TON of prizes go to give away including the Seaward Cosmo TX kayak! You have to be there to win it.

BIG CHOP #8: RESULTS
Wednesday, August 29, 2007

BIG CHOP #7: POST RACE REPORT
Tuesday, August 14, 2007

Ryan Pogue, Pogue Sports owner and co-organizer of the Big Chop, gives the final countdown to race start.

It was a great mix of boats on the water including OC 1 & 2, single and double kayaks, dugout canoes, regular canoes, and one high performance caneo paddled by Cam Grose and Phil Evanson who finish fourth overall.

It was an awesome battle between Shane Martin and Jeff Raymond. The duo took it to a photo finish with Raymond squeaking on the overall win.

VANCOUVER OCEAN SPORTS OFFERING KAYAK CLINICS
Wednesday, August 1, 2007

Introduction - Basic Kayak Strokes
This course is designed to introduce you to the sport of Kayaking. This three-hour session will dismantle the mystique of this paddle sport discipline and participants will gain a greater understanding of basic stroke fundamentals, kayak equipment, wet exits, and safety on the water. The course is perfect for beginners and your confidence will increase quickly as you learn to develop your boat handling skills.

Price: $70.00
Prerequisite: None
Dates & Times: 6:00 pm – 9:00 pm
August 6, August 20, Sept 10
Max. 12 participants

Kayak Stroke Improvement
This Stroke Improvement Clinic is specifically designed for individuals who are gearing up for that next big adventure race or would like to improve their paddling performance during a weekly Night Race Series or The Big Chop Paddle Series. This two-hour session will motivate and assist new and experienced paddlers in developing their technical paddling skills for adventure racing, fitness paddling and local Weekly Night Race Series. Participants will gain a greater understanding of basic stroke fundamentals, as well as, advanced techniques that will improve their stroke significantly.

Price: $45.00
Prerequisite: Basic Kayak Instruction (or equivalent experience)
Dates & Times: 6:00 pm – 8:00 pm
August 1, August 15, Sept 5
Max. 12 participants

Kayak Rescue Techniques
Knowing how to get back into your boat from deep water will give you confidence in all water conditions. You will learn proper wet exits and re-entry, general safety concerns, rescue gear and how to rescue yourself and others. You will be required to provide your own wetsuit.

Price: $70.00
Prerequisite: Basic Kayak Instruction (or equivalent experience)
Dates & Times: 9:00 am – 12:00 pm
August 5, August 19
Max. 12 participants

KAYAK MEMBERSHIP WITH VANCOUVER OCEAN SPORTS
Wednesday, August 1, 2007

Vancouver Ocean Sports is pleased to offer memberships for sea kayak enthusiasts. Whether you own your own kayak and need storage, or love the ocdean and need a boat, we have the equipment you will need to enjoy Vancouver's beautiful waterfront.

Summer Membership: July 1 to Sept 30:
--- Individual Rate (single kayak) ......................... $99
--- Individual Rate (double kayak) ......................... $149
--- Family Rate (up to 4 people any kayak) ......... $249

Annual Membership:
--- Individual Rate (single kayak) ......................... $310
--- Individual Rate (double kayak) ......................... $349
--- Family Rate (up to 4 people any kayak) ......... $499

Kayak Storage:
--- Single Hull ............................................................ $25/mth or $250/year
--- Double Hull ............................................................ $29/mth or $290/year

RACE #6 -- BUSY NIGHT ON THE WATER
Friday, July 27th, 2007

The MEC Big Chop sure is a lot of fun. Week #6 drew another big and spirited crowd of paddlers. The evening started with another sold out MEC free paddle clinic geared to newbies looking to experience the water in a kayak.

Then the Big Chop started and it off on the 9km paddle into the very busy harbour. Racers had to keep an eye out for powerboats, sailboats, and the Aquabus. Shane Martin was the first to finish with a time of 45:22 followed by the OC2 team Trevor and Briac.

This was another multi-sport night with an optional orienteering stage. Marshall House and Chris Dobravolny blazed through the 2.5km course finding all five checkpoints in 12 minutes. The next fastest teams took between 22-24 minutes to finish.

Chris and Marshall are also the leaders in the Series Points standings. Click here to view the full list of SERIES POINTS STANDINGS.

The race ended with more smokies and Edge Energy drink. Awards followed with another big give away of prizes.

This was Christopher Wong's first night at the Big Chop and only his second time on the water. Chris took on the Little Chop and survived!

RACE #5 -- HOT SUMMER NIGHTS
Friday, July 13th, 2007

Last night marked the halfway point of the MEC Big Chop Summer Paddle Series. We had another big group of kayakers, canoers, and outriggers on the start line. It was great to see a lot of new faces too. For some it was their first time paddling and the Little Chop course was the perfect distance for them.

The free smokies, drinks, and chips continue to be a hit after the race. And we have so many killer draw prizes that almost everyone sticks around hoping to go hope with some schwag from our great sponsors!

Last night we were honoured to have John Gardner and Debbie Ashford from Aqualung Canada and Brett Conrad from Stohlquist dropping in to experience the Big Chop.

The Big Chop co-owner, Ryan Pogue, was the fastest boat on the water last night. John and Sandra Madden won the Little Chop category. Click here for full results.

MEC's Mark Kelly paddles with Aqualung Canada's Debbie Ashford (photo by Roger Krygsveld)

Check out the killer prize table. Over $500 worth of prizing was given out last night!

Heather cooked up a storm of smokies last night and added fried onions to the menu! The Big Chop post race grub gets better every week!

Sandra Madden, winner of the Stohlquist PFD, poses with husband John Madden and Stohlquist rep, Melanie Whital.

Nathan Natainee, Mike Billy, and Denise Billy paddled their dugout canoes last night. Mike and Denise were the second boat across the finish line.

MORE FREE STUFF! All the participants took home free Schick Xtreme3 razors, Carb-Boom gel samples, and Edge Energy Drink Samples. The new issue of Get Out There magazine is also on newsstands and the Big Chop was one of the first to get it.

RACE #4 -- DRIZZLE AT THE BIG CHOP.
Wednesday, July 11th, 2007

It was a light drizzle at the fourth race of the MEC Big Chop Summer Paddle Series. Still a spirited and dedicated paddlers took to the water in either the Little Chop (4km) or the regular course (8km). Shane Martin had the fastest paddle time of the night, 42:07, and narrowly edged out the duo of Ben Fast and John George in their double kayak. Click here for the complete results. More smokies filled the bellies of the racers following the race and tons of great prizes were given out to the lucky racers. Thanks to all the volunteers for coming out and help us out! The photos below were taken by Roger Krygsveld.

RACE #3 -- EVERYONE LOVES THE SMOKIES!!!
Friday, June 14th, 2007

Over 50 paddlers hit the water for Race #3 of the MEC Big Chop Summer Paddle Series. The course was a challenging maze through a series of markers, powerboats, and barges. Everyone was in a kayak or outrigger for this one except for Mark Kelly from MEC who tried his luck with a whitewater kayak!

Once again Alan Carlson was the fastest boat on the water. Melanie Whital from Stohlquist and H2O Audio was the fastest solo female. Click here for the RESULTS.

The night also featured an optional orienteering stage where racers had to find 5 checkpoints in the Vanier Park / Kits area. Don Barthell and Dean Wutke had the fastest split time and finished with a time of 14:12.

After the race, everyone hung out and chowed down on BBQ Smokies, watermelon, chips and lemonade. We then gave out 18 great draw prizes and recognized the top paddlers in each category. It's a great deal for your $8 entry fee!

The next race is on June 28th. Book your kayak early, tell your friends, and we'll see you there!

RACE #2 -- ANOTHER GREAT NIGHT!!!
Saturday, June 2nd, 2007

It was another great night at the MEC Big Chop Summer Paddle Series! We had 42 paddlers on the start line. Alan Carlson was the fastest racer of the night finishing in a time of 41:18. Bob Putnam from Deep Cove Kayaks made a special appearance and finished 3rd. Click here for the full results.

The night featured the addition of the "Little Chop" which is a 4-5km course geared for the recreational paddler. MEC also put on a kayak demo session before the race that had 12 people take part in learning how to paddle.

THE LITTLE CHOP ADDED TO THE BIG CHOP!
Wednesday, May 30th, 2007

We are excited to announce the addition of the Little Chop Course to the series. The Little Chop is a mere 4-5km and is geared towards those that are just looking to come out for a good paddle in a less competitve environment.

The Little Chop has only one category -- REC. This is great for novice paddlers.

TAKE ON THE ROUND BOWEN MARATHON PADDLE RACE!
Tuesday, May 22nd, 2007

Come out on Saturday June 2nd to paddle the 8th Annual Round Bowen Kayak Race. At 36k this is the longest one day kayak race in North America and attracts about 100 racers each year. Surf skis, Sea kayaks and OC1s are welcome.The race is a good challenge to stamina, technique and seamanship as, in a circle course, tide and wind gives a push in one place and a hinderance in another. Last year's winner was 19 year old Wes Hammer from Maple Ridge with a course record of 2:31 just 5 seconds ahead of the previous winner Joost Zeggers. A great post race party with Salmon barbeque, beer and wine, hot tub and live music. Call Bowen Island Sea Kayaking at 604 947 9266 or www.roundbowenrace.org

MORE PHOTOS FROM THE MEC BIG CHOP RACE #1 !
Tuesday, May 22nd, 2007

GREAT TIMES AT THE BIG CHOP RACE #1 !
Friday, May 18th, 2007

What an awesome start to the MEC Big Chop Summer Paddle Series! We had great weather, a big turnout, tons of draw prizes and SMOKIES!!! Participants raced in kayaks, outriggers, dugout canoes, regular canoes, and Dave Norona did the race on a standup longboard!

Jack Christie from Shaw TV's The Rec Report was on location to shoot the Big Chop for an upcoming episode.I think it will air next Wednesday at 6pm as part of the Express. Ben Mumford from Wavelengths Magazine was also out so look for a story in a future episode.

We had over 40 paddlers out for our inaugural race and it was Jeff Raymond in his surfski that finished first completing the 7km course in 37:17. Click here for complete race results.

Thanks to all the sponsors, volunteers, and racers for coming out and being part of a successful launch of the MEC Big Chop!

The next race is on Thursday, May 31st. Please help us spread the word and we'll see you there! And yes, we will have a lot more smokies!!!

There is no better place to paddle than at the Big Chop! (photo by Arleen Pogue)

BIG CHOP KICKS OFF ON THURSDAY!
Monday, May 14th, 2007

We are all set for the start of the MEC Big Chop Summer Paddle Series! We have a ton of great prizes on the first night. Jack Christie from the Shaw TV's the Rec Report will be out there. Dave Norona is rumoured to be coming out with a boat that few have ever seen.

We have also adjusted our pricing and it is now $8/night or $60 for a Series Pass. You are going to get a ton of great value out of this including a great course with safety boats, a chance to win over $500 worth of draw prizes, and post race refreshments!

SEATTLE SPORTS CO SPONSORS THE BIG CHOP.
Monday, May 7th, 2007

THE BIG CHOP ROPES LASSO.
Monday, May 7th, 2007

STOHLQUIST JOINS THE BIG CHOP.
Friday, May 4th, 2007

MOUNTAIN EQUIPMENT CO-OP SIGNS ON AS THE TITLE SPONSOR OF THE BIG CHOP.
Thursday, April 19st, 2007

The Big Chop Summer Paddle Series would like to extend a big welcome to Mountain Equipment Co-op as our new Title Sponsor!

Mountain Equipment Co-op is Canada's leading supplier of quality outdoor gear and clothing. MEC serves its 2.1 million members through its ten stores across Canada, a phone and mail order service, and an e-commerce web site, mec.ca.

Big Thanks goes out to Mark Kelley at MEC for all his work in making this happen!

WIN A SEAWARD COSMA TX KAYAK AT THE BIG CHOP!
Thursday, April 19st, 2007

One lucky Big Chop participant will win a brand new Seaward Cosma TX Kayak! This GRAND PRIZE will be drawn at the Series Championship on September 20th. Every time you race, you get an entry into the draw, so the more times you do the Big Chop, the better your chances of winning! One last catch... you MUST be at the Series Championship in order to claim your prize.

GET READY FOR THE BIG CHOP!
Sunday, April 1st, 2007

We're very excited for the inaugural season of the Big Chop Summer Paddle Series! The concept for the series came out of meetings between Bryan Tasaka from the Mind Over Mountain Event Co. and Ryan Pogue from Pogue Sports who wanted a more structured paddling series that was inclusive to kayakers and outriggers.

The Big Chop is already drawing a big buzz in the paddling world. This will be a chance for the seasoned paddler to go for the Big Chop title and for the recreational racers to hone their skills.

It's going to be a fun year! Tell your friends, book the dates, and get ready to sign up! Be part of the Big Chop right from the start!

THE END IS NEAR! PARTY TIME. Sept 1, 2009

RACE NUMBER EIGHT IN THE BAG August 6, 2009 photos by Kelli Power

BRING PRIZING FOR THE PILE! Wednesday, July 15, 2009 photos by Roger Krygsveld

DID YOU MISS ME? Tuesday, July 7, 2009 photos by Roger Krygsveld

THE FUN TIMES JUST KEEP ON ROLLIN' Thursday, June 11, 2009 photos by Roger Krygsveld

HOT AND SUNNY. JUST HOW THE BIG CHOPPERS LIKE IT. Saturday, May 30, 2009 photos by Roger Krygsveld

SMOOTHIES, HOTDOGS, AND SOME PADDLING Friday, May 14, 2009 photos by Roger Krygsveld

THE BIG CHOP TAKES ON THE CANUCKS Thursday, April 30, 2009

CITYTV VISITS THE BIG CHOP Monday, April 27, 2009

WELCOME ECOMARINE! Wednesday, March 4, 2009

2009 SEASON ANNOUNCED! Monday, January 26, 2009

ONE HAPPY KAYAKER Monday, November 24, 2008

SEASON 2 OF THE BIG CHOP COMES TO AN END Sunday, Sept 14, 2008

THE FINAL MAP ... Thursday, September 11, 2008

PADDLING, PARTYING, AND PRIZING... OH MY... Monday, September 8, 2008

9 DOWN... ONE TO GO... Thursday, August 21, 2008

QUICK NOTES FROM THE ORGANIZERS... Monday, August 18, 2008

RACE #8 - WHOLE LOTTA NEWBIES. WATER WAS BROWN. Friday, August 7, 2008

GET READY TO PARTY! ROCKY MOUNTAIN FLATBREAD CO TO HOST THE SERIES FINALE PARTY AND AWARDS Monday, August 4, 2008

WEEK #7 - BIG TURNOUT FOR THE BIG CHOP Tuesday, July 29, 2008

LE GRAND REMOU -- THAT'S "THE BIG CHOP" IN FRENCH Saturday, July 12, 2008

HOLY BIG CHOP! Friday, July 11, 2008

HUMP NIGHT AT THE BIG CHOP Friday, June 27, 2008

PADDLEFEST IN VANCOUVER JULY 6 Saturday, June 14, 2008

TAKE THE BIG WILD CHALLENGE Saturday, June 14, 2008

RAYMOND BEATS PUTNAM BY A HAIR. 6 YEAR OLD PADDLES THE PASSAT Thursday, June 12, 2008

ROUND BOWEN ISLAND RESULTS Tuesday, June 10, 2008

3 FOR 3 SHANE IS STREAKING Thursday, May 29th, 2008

COURSE MAPS NOW ONLINE Wednesday, May 28th, 2008

RACE #2 - RESULTS AND PHOTOS Thursday, May 15th, 2008

DO THE BIG CHOP FOR A CHANCE TO WIN A KAYAK! Saturday, May 3, 2008

BACK TO THE BIG CHOP. 50 PADDLERS KICK OFF SEASON 2 WITH A BANG. Saturday, May 3, 2008

WHO WANTS TO WIN A SURF SKI??? Sunday, April 27, 2008

GSI OUTDOORS JOINS THE BIG CHOP Friday, April 25, 2008

WELCOME NEW SPONSORS! Monday, April 14, 2008

STAY HH COOL THIS SUMMER WITH LIFA COOL Tuesday, April 1, 2008

CITYTV, CITYTV, CITYTV!!! Friday, March 28, 2008

HELP WANTED: Event Coordinator Saturday, February 23, 2008

MEC IS BACK! Saturday, February 23, 2008

PROMOTING UNDER THE DOME Saturday, February 23, 2008

BE A BIG CHOP SPONSOR! Thursday, February 14, 2008

GET READY FOR 2008! Wednesday, January 30, 2008

BIG CHOP ENDS WITH A BEER! Monday, September 24th, 2007

SERIES FINALE TONIGHT! Thursday, September 20th, 2007

NAVIGATE THE STREETS Tuesday, September 11th, 2007

OH, THE SUNSET Tuesday, September 11th, 2007

TWO MORE TO GO! Wednesday, August 29, 2007

BIG CHOP #8: RESULTS Wednesday, August 29, 2007

BIG CHOP #7: POST RACE REPORT Tuesday, August 14, 2007

VANCOUVER OCEAN SPORTS OFFERING KAYAK CLINICS Wednesday, August 1, 2007

KAYAK MEMBERSHIP WITH VANCOUVER OCEAN SPORTS Wednesday, August 1, 2007

RACE #6 -- BUSY NIGHT ON THE WATER Friday, July 27th, 2007

RACE #5 -- HOT SUMMER NIGHTS Friday, July 13th, 2007

RACE #4 -- DRIZZLE AT THE BIG CHOP. Wednesday, July 11th, 2007

RACE #3 -- EVERYONE LOVES THE SMOKIES!!! Friday, June 14th, 2007

RACE #2 -- ANOTHER GREAT NIGHT!!! Saturday, June 2nd, 2007

THE LITTLE CHOP ADDED TO THE BIG CHOP! Wednesday, May 30th, 2007

TAKE ON THE ROUND BOWEN MARATHON PADDLE RACE! Tuesday, May 22nd, 2007

MORE PHOTOS FROM THE MEC BIG CHOP RACE #1 ! Tuesday, May 22nd, 2007

GREAT TIMES AT THE BIG CHOP RACE #1 ! Friday, May 18th, 2007

BIG CHOP KICKS OFF ON THURSDAY! Monday, May 14th, 2007

SEATTLE SPORTS CO SPONSORS THE BIG CHOP. Monday, May 7th, 2007

THE BIG CHOP ROPES LASSO. Monday, May 7th, 2007

STOHLQUIST JOINS THE BIG CHOP. Friday, May 4th, 2007

MOUNTAIN EQUIPMENT CO-OP SIGNS ON AS THE TITLE SPONSOR OF THE BIG CHOP. Thursday, April 19st, 2007

WIN A SEAWARD COSMA TX KAYAK AT THE BIG CHOP! Thursday, April 19st, 2007

GET READY FOR THE BIG CHOP! Sunday, April 1st, 2007