The American Canoe Association Dec. 17 named Laura Kurup as its Instructor of the Month and featured a profile of her on the ACA site. Laura is active in canoe, kayak, and swiftwater rescue instruction in the DC area with Paddlesport Institute and Calleva River School and serves on CCA's Steering Committee.
The ACA profile goes back to Laura's paddling roots in the Missouri Whitewater Association and on Missouri's Saint Francis River. She was a C1 slalom racer who stepped away from racing when she moved to the DC area in 2012 and was paddling less until she reconnected to the sport and paddling community a few years ago, gaining teaching certifications. Laura was spurred on in 2024 and 2025, rather than held back, by dealing with surgeries and treatment for breast cancer. "While the experience was challenging," ACA wrote, "it also sharpened her clarity around what mattered to her most: time with loved ones and time on the river."
ACA said, "While Laura has extensive experience teaching intermediate and advanced canoe, some of her most meaningful moments as an instructor have come from teaching beginner kayak courses…. 'There is something incredibly rewarding about introducing people to the magic of this sport for the first time,' she shares."
Editor's note: The Cruiser reached out to Laura, whose email message advised that she was away—wouldn't you know, rowing a raft in the Grand Canyon.