From kayak and SUP rentals, to kids’ camps, to group bookings for businesses and schools, dragon boat festivals and outrigger canoe regattas, the Fairway Gorge Paddling Club is a Victoria-based non-profit with more than 1,000 members from across the region.
More than 10,000 athletes, clients and visitors participate in FGPC events in a normal year through the club’s many races, festivals and programs.
With docks, boathouses and facilities along the shoreline of the Gorge Waterway next to the Selkirk Trestle, FGPC also owns and operates Selkirk Waterfront Fitness, a top-tier fitness facility with memberships available to the public and the paddling community alike.
Although the COVID-19 pandemic has impacted FGPC’s operations, the facilities remain open to members and the public through extraordinary access programs through ongoing monthly boat and/or gym subscriptions.
FGPC has a deep commitment to the paddling community throughout Canada.
Dragon boating is a highly inclusive sport, and FGPC coaches and supports youth and senior teams, and teams associated with breast cancer survivors, multiple sclerosis and vision impairment. FGPC has revamped many programs to be safe and relevant during COVID-19, profoundly improving the quality of life for many people.
FGPC’s race management division has hosted hundreds of regattas involving thousands of paddlers since 2014, with dozens of annual local events and dragon boat regattas in Nanaimo, Victoria, Duncan and elsewhere.
Our Four Pillars:
Train:
Selkirk Waterfront Fitness Centre: FGPC’s Selkirk Waterfront Fitness Centre is open to community members and paddlers alike. We also offer online classes and personal training.
Coached programs: Coached paddling programs for outrigger canoe and dragon boating.
Play:
Kids’ camps: FGPC operates a series of summer paddling camps for children (6-10 years old) and youth (11-15). The camps will be fully COVID compliant in 2021. Click here for more info.
Experience:
Group bookings: Although currently impacted by COVID-19, FGPC offers school programs and other group bookings for businesses, social groups, sports teams and more.Learn more about our 2021 offerings here.
Kayak and SUP rentals: Members of the community are welcomed to apply here for monthly subscription-based access.
Compete:
FGPC paddlers range from novices to athletes who have competed on Canada’s national dragon boat teams and in world-level international outrigger races in places such as Washington State, California, Hawaii, Tahiti, Cook Islands and elsewhere.
The club has more than 70 coaches and staff members and a fleet of more than 80 boats.