The first Loreto Kayak Symposium was a success! Here's a video highlighting the event.

From the Kokatat Blog by Adventure Kayak contributor Ginni Callahan.

The Festival weekend (October 23-24) brought out local families with enthusiastic youngsters to participate in games, competitions, and lessons. University students, guides, and the general public participated in races. Santiago Berrueta from Loreto won a Kokatat MsFit Tour PFD in the sprint and maneuver race, and Ivan Enrique Moreno from Los Cabos won a Werner Shuna paddle in the distance race. These and other fine prizes greatly motivated competitors and inspired spectators.

During the more formal courses October 25-30, over 40 university students from around the state of Baja California Sur and several professional guides took BCU training. Three Mexican nationals and a Canadian who works in Mexico took certification as Level 1 BCU coaches. They taught the first ever BCU training in Mexico by Mexicans for Mexicans.

Part of the goal of the event was to enhance sustainable tourism in Loreto, gateway to the World Heritage Site of the Sea of Cortez islands and the National Marine Park of the Bay of Loreto. Professional training and certification for local guides and future guides, as well as inclusion of the local population in the rewards of paddling, make great steps in this direction. Building a base of nationals who can keep offering such local training for the future is a giant leap.

Many thanks to our sponsors especially Kokatat, Werner, the National Marine Park of the Bay of Loreto, the Loreto Campus of the Autonomous University of Baja California Sur, the Municipality of Loreto, Hotel Tripui, coach Axel Schoevers and Aqua Adventures for their generous support.” – Ginni Callahan