| Trial by Water Kayak safety tips emerge from an adventure-race inquest ³It¹s just a game. Nobody is supposed to die. Maybe somebody falls off their bike and hits their head, but nobody¹s supposed to die. That sentiment, from a participant at last year¹s Fundy Multi-Sport Race, was echoed by other witnesses at the June 24-27 inquest into the kayaking death of René Arseneault (as covered in the March 2003 issue of explore). During four days of often emotional testimony, the public inquiry heard from 26 people‹competitors, organizers, volunteers, rescuers, Coast Guard staff and medical personnel‹all with the goal of preventing a similar tragedy at future adventure races. For the first time since the June 1, 2002, event near Saint John, New Brunswick, organizers Jayme Frank and Sara Vlug, who continue to compete as Team Eastern Outdoors, described the preparations for the third annual Fundy race and their thoughts about the tragic events of that day. Jayme and I will no longer be organizing races, said Vlug. We feel we¹re better racers than organizers. Before final deliberations, deputy coroner Heather Harrison reminded the five-member public jury that theirs was a fact-finding not a fault-finding mission. The jury returned with nine recommendations (Harrison added a tenth) that outline safety protocols and equipment requirements for future sea-kayaking events, while underlining the shared responsibility assumed by both organizers and participants at adventure races. The recommendations include requirements that participants first demonstrate paddling experience before an ocean-kayak race; that organizers notify local authorities about events, have an adequate communications system in place and inform participants of the marine weather forecast before the race; that racers should wear numbers corresponding to an official checklist and that this checklist be easily accessible to rescue personnel; and that marine flares should be included with every kayak, while wetsuits and waterproof skirts should be strongly considered for ocean stages of adventure races. The coroner¹s office has forwarded these non-binding recommendations as guidelines for legislators, safety authorities and race organizers. The lack of a governing agency for adventure racing or third-party officials at events was discussed at the inquest but did not appear among the jury¹s recommendations‹to the relief of some organizers, who fear that too much bureaucracy will undermine the original spirit of their sport. An association is going to happen‹it¹s just a matter of who sets it up, says Dave Zietsma, founder of the Raid the North series. Let it be someone within the sport rather than a government body‹that¹s how we all feel. The family of René Arseneault found some consolation in the revelations of the inquest, and hopes that adventure-race organizers and participants will learn from this tragedy. We only ask two things: That a governing body be formed for this sport to establish guidelines across Canada that would ensure safety is in place and consistent, says Jacqueline Arseneault, René¹s mother. And that the inquest¹s 10 recommendations be implemented. We do not feel that any of these are unreasonable, nor are they costly. If they save one life, it would all be worth it. David Leach |
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| "Trial By Water" Follow-up to "Death By Adventure" |