The membership of Paddle Manitoba has included several people that have achieved outstanding accomplishments in paddling. Paddle Manitoba recognizes them as honourable members. 

 

Donald “Don” Starkell

 

December 7, 1932 – January 28, 2012

Born in Winnipeg, Manitoba, he took up canoeing in his teens, and shortly after, the Kildonan Canoe Club named him “Most Outstanding Novice” when he was just 17. He competed professionally as a canoeist afterwards through the 1950s, later partnered with Bill Brigden. In 1967, as a member of the Manitoba team in the Expo 67 Centennial Voyageur Canoe Pageant Race from Rocky Mountain House, Alberta, to Montreal, Quebec, he would help them win the race after a grueling effort lasting 104 days.

On June 1, 1980, he set out with his two sons from Winnipeg, Canada, to paddle to the mouth of the Amazon River at Belem, Brazil, in a specially built canoe by Bill Brigden. The expedition took him over two years to complete, and he faced numerous challenges along the way, including treacherous waters, adverse weather conditions, and encounters with unfriendly wildlife, and sometimes, people. He completed the trip on May 2, 1982. In 1986, he and his son Dana were entered into the Guinness Book of World Records for having completed the longest canoe journey ever at 19,603 kilometres (12,181 mi). In 1987, a chronicle of the voyage, Paddle to the Amazon, would be released.

Not content with his first epic expedition, Starkell decided to push the limits even further. He embarked on a kayak journey to trace the Northwest Passage in 1990 with Victoria Jason and Fred Reffler. Covering a distance of almost 5,000 kilometers (3,000 miles), he faced the harsh conditions of the arctic, even losing the tops of his fingers and some toes. Eventually he finished alone just shy of his destination of Tuktoyaktuk, Nunavut. The trip would be covered in Paddle to the Arctic, published in 1995.

Don was awarded the Gold Medal for Outstanding Achievement by the City of Winnipeg and the Order of Sport Excellence by the Province of Manitoba in 1982. This was followed by the Order of the Buffalo Hunt by the Province of Manitoba in 1983. Paddle Manitoba recognized him as an hourable member in 1990. The Manitoba Sports Hall of Fame inducted him in 2006 in recognition of his all-round athletic excellence. A park in Winnipeg bears a plaque commemorating the launching point of his Amazon River adventure.

 

Hendrik Herfst (left), Publicity Chair, recognizes Don Starkell as an MRCA (Paddle Manitoba) honourable member.
1990 MRCA (Paddle Manitoba) Wine and Cheese Evening. 

Cover of Don's book "Paddle to the Amazon". 1987. 
(Later editions have different covers)
 

 

 

Victoria Jason

 

April 24, 1945 – May 20, 2000

Born in Durban, Manitoba, later living near Churchill, Manitoba. Her time there would begin a love of the North that never left her. She eventually came to Winnipeg, but the North would call her back. Taking up kayaking, she trained for a paddle through the entire Northwest Passage that would begin in 1991, with Don Starkell and Fred Reffler, at Churchill, Manitoba. She would finish this journey alone in 1994 at Tuktoyyaktuk, Nunavut, becoming the first woman do so. Covering a distance of almost 5,000 kilometers (3,000 miles), she basked in the beauty and solitude, while facing the harsh dangers head-on.  A book of this journey would follow in 1997, Kabloona in the Yellow Kayak.

In 2004, a Winnipeg park was renamed in her honour, with a plaque added in 2006.

 

 

Cover of Victoria's book "Kabloona in the Yellow Kayak". 1997. 

 

 

 

William “Bill” Brigden

 

April 11, 1916 – January 16, 2005

Born in Winnipeg, Manitoba, he would join the Winnipeg Canoe Club, winning his first race in 1948 when he placed second in the 105 kilometre (65 mile) Les Voyageurs Annual Canoe Race from the Winnipeg Canoe Club to Lower Fort Garry and back. Over the next ten years, he would go on to win many trophies, cups, and crests in both short and long-distance races while paddling both canoes and kayaks. He received a club sweater from the Winnipeg Canoe Club in 1949, the highest award for gaining the highest number of points for racing. He was awarded the Order of Merit Plaque from the same club in 1949. During the 1950 season he won every event he entered at the Dominion Championships. In 1952, he and partner Jim Nickel went to the Summer Olympics in Oslo, Norway, competing in the K2 double blade event. 1955 and 1956 would see him and partner Don Starkell win two long-distance titles at the Gold Rush Canoe Race in Flin Flon, Manitoba. He continued to race, entering the Keewatin-Kenora Canoe race in 1980, coming a close second with his partner.

He also used his racing prowess to coach, including a crew for the Ladies War Boat Race in the Canadian Canoe Association (CCA) championship in 1953, and Morna Cammell and Cathy Flower for the CCA Ladies K2 competition in 1965 and 1966.

Outside of racing he was a skilled craftsman when it came to maintaining, and building, both competitive and recreational canoes and kayaks. He designed the canoes that he built and sold them at very reasonable prices, which made it possible for almost everyone that was interested to own one. Many of his canoes are still in service today and he did much to foster paddling in the province.

In 1992 The Manitoba Sports Hall of Fame inducted him in recognition of his paddling excellence and Paddle Manitoba recognized him as an hourable member. 

 

Bill and Marion Brigden (centre) receiving recognition as a MRCA (Paddle Manitoba) Honourable Member from Liz-Speers-Greasley, Membership Committee Chair (left).
Donna Kurt, Past-President and Trip Committee Chair (right) looks on.
1992 MRCA (Paddle Manitoba) AGM. 

 

 

Name plate on the bow of a Bill Brigden canoe.