By Scott Roblin

Medicine Hat Paddling Club closes landmark year with Hat, Hat Regatta

Oct 2, 2018 | 12:41 PM

MEDICINE HAT, AB – A dedicated group of Medicine Hat’s paddling community fought freezing conditions on Saturday to celebrate the end of the season on the South Saskatchewan River.

The Medicine Hat Paddling Club’s annual Hat, Hat Regatta launched at Echo Dale around the noon hour, with the 16 paddlers eventually docking at Strathcona Island Park less than two hours later.

Called the last organized paddling event of the season in western Canada, the Hat, Hat Regatta gave local paddlers the chance to connect before packing up their gear for the winter.

Paddling Club president Rick Redmond said they were hoping to get over 100 paddlers out, but the frigid conditions presented some challenges for organizers.

“We had 84 people on the river last year, but I think the weather early [Saturday] morning kind of discouraged a few paddlers,” said Redmond. “But, we got 16 die-hards out that had a lot of fun.”

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It’s been a landmark year of growth for the Paddling Club, as they’ve tripled their membership to 42 paddlers over the last 12 months.

John Smith has been involved with the Paddling Club for the better part of a decade and said more and more Medicine Hat residents are wanting to try out the sport.

“The club is growing,” said Smith. “There was a point where there was only two or three of us left and Rick has done a wonderful job of bringing the club back. And all the participants, slow and steady growth is always a little better than exponential growth.

Redmond added their facilities have improved greatly over the last few years, which has made a big impact on drawing out new paddlers.

“The river through Medicine Hat is one of the nicest rivers through any city in western Canada and people are beginning to find the river thanks to the City,” said Redmond. “The City of Medicine Hat is beginning to try to attract people to the river putting ramps in, paving parking lots, and putting docks in.”

The Paddling Club said they’re hoping to plan events on rivers not just in Alberta, but other prairie provinces as well next year.