The new PNA logo, designed by Shawna Franklin.

For many years, North American paddlers have been able to take advantage of trainings and assessments in the British Canoe Union system. But all the money and authority resided in the UK, not here, and all the administrative work was done by one, tireless, devoted person, Bill Lozano. If you got your three-star award, you sent in a form and a check to Bill, who forwarded all the money to the UK and sent you a certificate (and, if you go back far enough, a patch!).

That’s on the cusp of changing. Paddlesports North America is now incorporated in the State of New York as a not-for-profit organization, and is finalizing its relationship with the BCU as a delivery center for BCU programming in the United States, Canada and Mexico. A new database will keep track of PNA members’ awards and certifications, as well as membership status, and a soon-to-launch website will contain all information needed by paddlers and coaches to progress through the BCU’s paddlesport system, which is recognized as the gold standard in paddlesport training and education.

This means that BCU training and education are going to be more accessible to North American paddlers, promoting paddler development, and encouraging lifetime participation in the sport through delivery of a long-term paddler development program.

Updates will be posted to the BCUNA website and the Google+ BCU North America page, as well as on the new PNA website. Now that’s good news for a winter-weary paddler!