Outfitting the canoe polo championships
Chris Cookson and his company have been selling and shipping products internationally for many years, but next week’s world canoe polo championships will be a chance to continue growing its brand, with people from 26 countries coming straight to the source.
St. Catharines-based Regatta Sport has been in the business of producing high-performance apparel used in the world of watersports — rowing, canoeing, kayaking and dragon boating — for 30 years.
Staff, officials and volunteers will all be outfitted at the tournament in products made by the company.
The International Canoe Federation’s world finals will be held at Welland International Flatwater Centre. Regatta Sport is donating about $8,000 worth of items.
“That’s our contribution to help sponsor it,” said Cookson, a member of the 1987 Canadian national rowing squad who started the business venture with his teammate Joe Camillo the following year.
Regatta Sport will also sell the event’s official merchandise at the site of the action, including shorts, hats, jackets, jerseys and shirts.
The company’s specialty is team apparel and has dressed squads in many sports over the years.
Sales and distribution are handled out of Regatta Sport’s St. Catharines location. Manufacturing is done in Hamilton. Materials are made mostly in Montreal, some in Europe, but the final products are all assembled in Ontario.
There are two distribution centres in Europe, as well as one in Japan.
Cookson expects the week-long competition in Welland will open opportunities to meet people in a sport that previously hasn’t been played at such a high level in Canada.
“We hope to make a good impression and hopefully we will make some contacts.”
The competition that runs July 31 to Aug. 5 is expected to draw 600 athletes.
The championships kick off with opening ceremonies on July 30 at the Merritt Park Amphitheatre with a free Honeymoon Suite concert.