Autumn Washington

Autumn Rose Canoe Club | Lummi Nation, Washington

My name is Autumn Washington. I have been a paddler since 1992 and have been racing outrigger since 1997.  I have attended 9 of the IVF World Sprints races as paddler, area coordinator and coach.  Each world sprints event I have attended, the number of paddlers I coordinate grows larger.  In Hilo, I had 90 paddlers that I coordinated teams and races for.  The role I played required a lot of communication, learning, travel, building relationships across USAORCA membership and leadership.  My goal is to continue to grow the sport, recruit paddlers, and find opportunities for paddlers, especially the youth, that may not have had the chance otherwise. 

I am currently on a board that is geared towards coaching and financially supporting youth athletes, both recreational and elite.  With the main goal as to bring youth athletes to world events that have the paddling skills but may have financial barriers keeping them from representing the PNW.   We hold training camps every weekend to prepare them for the next world sprints to be held.  Our current destination is bringing local youth to Tahiti to attend training camps and competition.  We came across this opportunity through Are based on our representation in Hilo and a few of our youth that were on the Elite Junior Girls team that brought home a Bronze.  We also intend on sending paddlers to compete in the Distance Championships in Brazil 2025.

I have held the positions of Head Coach, Manager and Treasurer for the Autumn Rose Canoe Club since 2003.  I coordinated for race events in both sprints and distance.  I am currently working with Joey Alvarez with Are to host a sprint series in the PNW for our paddlers as we prepare for Singapore World Sprints.  I aim to help expand paddling culture not only for my club but for our surrounding paddling ohana.  Having the right equipment and support has always been a barrier.  If I am voted in to this position, I would love to be a vessel for all our paddlers; to build on and encourage the passion and potential that exists within the Pacific Northwest.  

Hyshq’e