SpeedFreaks Canada

Caroline Cook

Home: Toronto, Ontario
Surf Spot: Woodbine Beach – Toronto
Paddle Spot: Cherry Beach, Toronto
Food: Bubble tea, Steak, Tiramisu, Lattes
Other interests: Kpop, Swimming, Surfski, Hiking, Camping, Tropical Destinations

• Born deaf, Caroline wears cochlear implants that help her hear and doesn’t let her disability stop her from doing what she loves, paddling. She paddled and raced sprint canoe/kayak with a focus on kayak for over 20 years. She dabbled in Dragonboat, Stand Up Paddleboard (SUP) and Surfski but didn’t get seriously into SUP until she bought her first 14′ racing board in the summer of 2021. Feeling the speed on a racing board and doing well in her first few races was all she needed to plunge into the sport. Addicted to the dynamic nature of the sport, she loves being in and on the water practicing her SUP skills and playing in the waves.
• After winning the Ontario SUP Series in 2022 Caroline joined the Speed Freaks Team at Infinity SUP and has her sights on competing internationally.
• On dryland Caroline has a Hearing Dog Guide named Gracie who wakes her up for practice every morning and alerts her to sounds she misses when there’s background noise like her phone ringing, a person calling her name, kitchen timers and the smoke detector. Gracie also goes to work with Caroline and everywhere she goes.
• Caroline works full time as a Teacher of the Deaf and Hard of Hearing in Toronto and hopes to inspire her students to chase after their dreams because they can do anything they want to do!

https://www.carolinecook.ca

Josh Gordon

Home: Kincardine, Ontario
Surf Spot: Kincardine Pier, Salinas Grandes
Food: Chips
Other iInterests: Metal, Camping, Live music

Josh Gordon is a Great Lakes surfer from Ontario Canada. A passion for skateboarding and snowboarding from a young age led him to surfing and SUP. Josh is a pioneer of SUP Surfing on the Great Lakes and continues to develop the sport through his work with the Canadian Surfing Association, the West Shore Huron Classic surf competition, and the Kincardine Surf Club. To beat the Canadian winter blues he often takes trips to warmer climates and has dedicated years of SUP and exploration throughout the country of Nicaragua. Josh represented his home country of Canada at the 2014 ISA World SUP games. He continues to help develop the Stand Up Paddle scene on the Great Lakes and will be competing throughout 2018.

Stella Gan

Home: Barrie, Ontario
Surf Spot: Playa Guiones – Costa Rica
Paddle Spot: Kempenfelt Bay – Barrie, ON
Food: Nachos, Tacos, Beer & Wine
Other Interests: Traveling, Skiing, Hiking and Working Out

Stella started stand up paddling in 2011 and has only recently decided to jump into the racing scene. In 2017, her very first race was an indoor event at the Toronto Boat Show, followed by the Harbour Island course at the Carolina Cup. Last summer she participated in one of the local Ontario SUP Series Events where she took first place in the Open Race category. In 2018 she returned to the Carolina Cup, finishing on the podium with a 3^rd place finish.  Her plan for 2018 is to participate in a couple more of the Ontario SUP Series events, a 50km (32 miles) Lake Ontario Crossing in July, and to head out west to Infinity SUP home turf and to participate in the Pacific Paddle Games (PPG) in the fall.

A true SpeedFreak at heart, Stella is on the water almost every day working on improving her technique to be an efficient paddler and to make her Custom Blackfish go faster.

Michael Rae

Home: Barrie, Ontario
Surf Spot: Woodland Beach, Georgian Bay/ Nosara
Food: Extra cheese, well done please.
Other Interests: MTB and anything on a board.

When Mike was a toddler, if there was a puddle nearby he would find a way to ‘accidentally’ fall into it.  Not much has changed.

As a youth, Mike was fortunate to extensively paddle the waterways of Algonquin Park and the North Shore of Georgian Bay.  Time off the water was filled with skateboards and dreams of the perfect bowl.

In 2013 Mike was certified as a PaddleFit instructor and has been sharing the stoke for SUP ever since.  In 2016, at 50 years of age Mike caught his first real wave with the folks at Nosara Paddlesurf.  Mike’s obsession for chasing waves and tolerance for ice-cold water has grown every season since then.  In his words: “Best midlife-crisis ever!”.

Danielle Dalziel

Home: Barrie, Ontario
Paddle Spot: Leonard’s Beach, Innisfil, ON
Food: Gourmet Pizza, Enchiladas, Wine
Other Interests: Skiing, Working out and Cooking

Danielle started paddling in 2020 and joined the race scene in 2022 where she placed 3rd in her age category in the extended Harbour Island course at the Carolina Cup, her first race. Later that same summer she participated in the Goat Boater Pirate race on Lake Wylie, SC where she finished in 4th place in her age category. Danielle spends most of her time in the summer either on the water training to improve her technique and speed, hanging out on the beach renting Infinity boards or helping coach beginner SUP lessons.

This summer, Danielle is looking to certify as a PaddleFit instructor so she can continue coaching and share her love of the sport with others. Her plan is to continue to spend as much time on the water training either on her Infinity Blackfish or her new Infinity Hollow Whiplash, and to try her hand at SUP surfing.

Robb Hobbs

Home: Innisfail, Alberta
Surf Spot: Tofino, Byron Bay, West Ed
Food: 5cent candy
Other Interests: Snowboarding, Hockey, Golf

Started SUP in 2011 on a 10’6 all rounder and since then have been hooked. Simply enjoy the lifestyle the sport has allowed me have, from sleeping in my truck and SUP surfing in Tofino to hitting up random lakes and being the only person on the water. Started getting more into racing in the last few years and it’s been great. I have met some awesome people, paddled some cool places and have had some good finishes, but always looking to be better and get faster…que the blackfish. Looking forward to travelling to events in Alberta/BC and just being on the water paddling with friends and family. See ya on the water.