The 10th annual West Coast Triple Plank:
Words and Photos Duncan Sadava
Each spring, boarders from far and wide pack up their campers and make the pilgrimage to Vancouver Island – not unlike Salmon returning to their home rivers from the open ocean. However, rather than spawn and then die or get eaten by bears, we gather to connect with our community, to mark the changing of the seasons, to celebrate our love for standing sideways, and to to support a very important cause; protecting and restoring Salmon habitat. Over 4 days split between Mount Washington and Tofino/Ucluelet, board-riders of all ages and skill levels ride snowboards, surfboards and skateboards, and also participate in restoration and educational activities, environmental stewardship, and some great parties. Positivity, inclusivity, social responsibility, community engagement, mentorship, stewardship… these are not just buzz words in a mission statement designed to sound nice on a website. The WCTP embodies these principles at its core, and harnesses the power of boardsports to be a force for good in the world. And, it’s also just a really really fun time.
Day 1: Dig Day.
The rule is simple: No Dig, No Ride. Elbow grease and sunscreen are applied liberally and tomorrow’s turns are earned. Dig day is not just for digging, however. The afternoon ends with a session on the QP built by the master Ben Bilocq. Highlights include Kevin Sansalone handplants, Ben’s Methods, DCP’s classic style, Cannon Cummins going huge over the top,
Maria Thomsen putting on a clinic in the jib park, and a Truth Smith frontside air over Colin D Watt’s Handplant. It becomes very apparent that the kids are the heartbeat of this event, and they’re drawing huge applause from the crowd. The biggest cheer of the day comes for 1 y/o Max Marynowski with the cutest frontside air in WCTP history (with help from dad).
Day 2: The banked slalom race goes all day. The course is mint, the sun is blazing, the vibes are high. The Pelchat girls are battling for top spot – Billy beats Juliette by a fraction of a second while Duke Depasquale takes gold for the men. Maria Thomsen flies down the entire course with a huge grin on her face. Colin D Watt keeps the vibes high with non-stop dad jokes on the mic. As the race winds down the QP is front and centre for another heavy afternoon session. Truth Smith stomps a double sloth roll and rides into the bushes, Dave McKinnon finally gets his McTwist, the snow champs are crowned, and it’s time to pack up and head to the beach.
Day 3: Morning fog delays the surf competition at Cox Bay.
Patagonia is on scene repairing garments, Gradient serving delicious coffees, Storm surf shop brought the beach games and a sauna tent. Eventually the sun shines through the fog and it’s go time.
Lolo Taffe cross-steps her way to the top of the Women’s podium and Keaton McCallum’s cutbacks impress the judges. High fives exchanged by all.
But then, we take a step back from the sports. WCTP all about boarding and community and mentorship and fun, but the real purpose of the event is to support Reddfish Restoration, a non-profit organization based in Ucluelet that works with local first nations to protect and restore coastal ecosystems. After the surf event an excursion is organized to help remove some invasive species from the local area, followed by some educational talks and a film screening.
Day 4: Tuff City Skatepark, Tofino. The young’ns get the party started, and holy shit these kids can skate. Local island skaters are comfortable on their home turf, and it’s evident. The legend Rick McCrank puts on a show and takes the top spot. Colin D Watt is out there rollerblading in a banana suit. The crowd roars, but the judges seem unimpressed.
At the afterparty, the Yeti crew feeds the whole gang mouthwatering brisket from their gigantic smoker trailer. It’s impossibly delicious. Phillips brewing provides Cabron and Phillips beverages, and Colin D Watt expends the last remaining slivers of his vocal chords in crowning the champions of surf, skate, and of course the trifecta winners as well as a few other special awards. Most notably, the Jeff Keenan award goes to Kevin Sansalone and the Martin Gallant award goes to JF Pelchat, two legends who carry the torch for our fallen friends and are invaluable pillars of the community. D Watt manages to ‘Ice’ almost every award recipient of legal drinking age, and then the bands start and the party goes late.
On behalf of all the boarders and all the salmon, a huge thank you to Marie-France Roy and Natalie Langmann and everyone else involved for pulling off this incredibly unique and special event year after year.
2026 Trifecta Winners:Billy Pelchat, Cannon Cummins, Lucy Winnard, Mavi Terhune, AJ Pitaoulis.
For complete competition results and information on next year’s triple plank visit westcoasttripleplank.com
Donate to ReddFish Restoration at reddfish.org
