FGPC GorgeFest

• Registration Fees: $1000 including GST
• Registration for 2027 coming soon

---

2026 GorgeFest Race information and schedule

---

The FGPC Gorge Fest Dragon Boat Pursuit-Slalom Regatta features three parallel slalom courses with staggered pursuit starts, allowing crews of different abilities to compete safely in exciting, closely contested races that are designed to bring boats to the finish line together.

Each of this one-day regatta’s 3 heats includes:
• 100M straight-line acceleration zone
• 300M gated slalom section
• 100M straight-line sprint finish

Plus there is a novelty “Unsterned 100M” race for the top 4.

Medals will be awarded to the three fastest teams in the Grand Final medal heats, as well as medal heats in A, B and C rounds. Medals will also be given to the winners (1st Place only) of the Novelty 100M races.

This slalom format rewards more than speed. Success comes from steering accuracy, crew synchronization, tactical pacing, and the ability to maintain momentum through every safely-designed curve. This new regatta isn’t about who starts first; it’s about who arrives best. Whether you’re a competitive crew, a recreational team, or simply looking for a fresh challenge, Gorge Fest offers an accessible, safe and exciting day of racing unlike any other dragon boat event in the Pacific Northwest.

Please register early to avoid disappointment. Crew registration payment must be made before registration in this event is confirmed. Registrations and payments must be received no later than Tuesday 1 September 2026 (midnight).

---

• Teams will be registered on a first come, first served basis;  if registration fills before the two weeks prior to the event your crew will be waitlisted.
• FGPC Staff Sterns and Drummers will be available for $100 per staff person. Adding a staff drum or stern to your team is an option for convenience or last minute emergency; we cannot guarantee that a team will win in exchange for hiring a member of our race staff.
• Note that male drummers and sterns are permitted for women’s teams. All paddlers must be female.

---

Race Course & Competition Notes for Teams

Welcome to FGPC’s inaugural Gorge Fest Dragon Boat Pursuit Slalom.

This is deliberately not a conventional straight-line 500 m race. The course combines a staggered pursuit start, technical slalom racing and a final 100 m sprint. Teams will need power, boat control, communication and tactical discipline throughout the entire course.

Please review the accompanying race schematic carefully. The following notes explain how the course will operate.

THE 500M COURSE

The race is divided into three sections:

0–100 m — START
100–400 m — SLALOM
400–500 m — FINISH

Each boat has an assigned lane—Lane 1 Yellow, Lane 2 Red and Lane 3 Green—and must remain within and correctly complete its designated course.

1. START — 0–100M

All three boats will assemble with their bows at the straight start gate, as shown on the schematic.

The start itself is staggered:

Lane 2 starts first → Lane 3 starts 5 seconds later → Lane 1 starts 5 seconds after Lane 3.

These staggered starts are intentional. They create separation before boats enter the technical portion of the course, improving safety while also creating the excitement of a pursuit race as the boats progress through the slalom.

The official timing system will automatically adjust for each boat’s delayed start. Teams do not need to compensate for the stagger themselves—the adjusted elapsed time determines the result.

Boats race straight for approximately 100 m and must pass correctly through their colour-coded lane at the 100M ENTRY SLALOM GATE shown on the schematic.

2. SLALOM — 100–400M

Once through the entry gate, the technical racing begins.

Each lane contains three slalom sequences, spaced approximately 75 m apart through the 300 m section.

Each sequence consists of a colour-coded turning arc defined by smaller Scotsman buoys and a large inflatable buoy. Boats must carve around the outside of each marked arc, following the path shown on the race schematic.

The lanes are:

Lane 1 — YELLOW
Lane 2 — RED
Lane 3 — GREEN

This is where the event becomes fundamentally different from conventional dragon boat racing. Maintaining speed alone will not be enough. Crews will need to accelerate out of turns, manage boat momentum, respond quickly to steering calls and hold their prescribed racing line while other boats are navigating the course alongside them.

3. FINISH — 400–500M

After completing the third slalom sequence, boats enter the 100M FINISH LANE GATE shown on the schematic.

From there, it is a straight 100 m sprint to the finish.

Boats must remain in their assigned lane and cross the finish line correctly to record a finish.

FOUR RACES FOR EVERY TEAM

Every team will race four 500 m heats during the day:

1. Seeded Heat → 2. Qualifying Heat → 3. Semi-Final → 4. Final

The format is designed so that crews have the opportunity to learn and improve their handling of the course as the regatta progresses. The slalom should become faster—and racing tighter—as teams gain experience through the day.

All boats must successfully finish each heat in order to advance.

BOAT CONTROL, LANE DISCIPLINE & PENALTIES

This is a technical race course, and safe, controlled navigation is part of the competition.

Teams are responsible for completing their designated slalom course, remaining within their assigned racing lane and avoiding interference with other boats.

Race Management may issue time penalties or credits for course infractions or circumstances affecting fair competition. These may include incorrectly navigating a buoy or gate, leaving the prescribed course, or disrupting another boat.

The objective is simple: race the course aggressively—but race it correctly and safely.

THE OPTIONAL 100M STEERLESS CHALLENGE

After the 500 m competition, the four fastest teams will qualify for an optional final challenge.

And this one is different again.

Qualifying boats will proceed to the designated 100 m start gate and race straight through the finish line without the active assistance of their steersperson.

The steersperson remains aboard the boat for safety, but their steering oar must not touch the water during the race. Doing so will result in disqualification.

For these 100 metres, navigation belongs to the crew.

The drummer will call the race, while paddlers must use timing, power and coordinated adjustments to keep the boat on course and safely within its lane.

For safety, these are individual timed runs: each boat must finish—or completely clear the race course—before the next boat starts.

The fastest elapsed time wins.

There will be one Mixed 100 m Steerless Champion and one Women’s 100 m Steerless Champion.

MEDALS

The 500 m Pursuit Slalom concludes with Grand Final, A Division, B Division and C Division finals, with Gold, Silver and Bronze medals awarded in each division.

The optional 100 m Steerless Challenge awards Gold to the fastest Mixed team and Gold to the fastest Women’s team.

Race Map

---

---

Join a “Stew” crew for GorgeFest

Your crew is not attending the Festival but you still want to compete? YOU’RE INVITED!

This year, we’re offering solo paddlers the opportunity to participate in professionally-managed stew teams for our GorgeFest. Individual paddlers can register for a $60 fee (which includes everything set out below) and provide FGPC’s race management staff with your gender, preferred side and approximate weight and years of experience. Once submitted, you’ll be placed in a festival stew team, with an optional practice on the Friday morning (25 September) before the race.

Here’s what you can expect from participating in the GorgeFest in beautiful Victoria BC:

1. a supplied team tent in the event’s beautiful paddlers’ village, along with spare paddles and PFDs if you don’t have your own
2. a full day of races – this one-day regatta includes:
   1. 100m straight-line acceleration zone
   2. 300m gated slalom section
   3. 100m straight-line sprint finish
   4. 100m unsterned novelty race for the top 3 of each division
3. Medals will be awarded to the three fastest teams in the Grand Final medal heats, as well as medal heats in A, B and C rounds. Consolation heats receive results on the leaderboard but no medals. Medals will also be given to the winners (1st Place) of the Novelty 100M races.
4. We will make every effort to assign friends or existing teammates to the same crew. We’ll be collecting that kind of information as we set up boat rosters.

Click here to register as a solo paddler

---

Festival Cancellation/Refund Policy

There will be 25% administrative fee for all withdrawals. The final date to withdraw a team from the festival is three weeks before the event. There will be no refunds of any type after this date, including if the festival is cancelled due to safety reasons.

---