Erica Scarff

Erica Scarff

Personal information
Full name	Erica Carmela Scarff
Born	(1996-08-16) 16 August 1996 (age 28)
Home town	Mississauga, Ontario, Canada
Alma mater	Brock University (St. Catharines)
Sport
Country	Canada
Sport	Paracanoe
Disability	Osteosarcoma survivor
Disability class	KL3
Club	Balmy Beach Canoe Club, Toronto, Canada
Coached by	Mari Ellery

Erica Scarff (born 16 August 1996) is a Canadian paracanoeist who competes in international level events.^[1]

Early life and education

She was a former national gymnast before she was diagnosed with osteosarcoma aged twelve after she broke her right leg when she ran into a vault in her gymnastics training session. Her leg was amputated soon after, in 2009.^[2] Scarff was a very active person before her diagnosis: she tried swimming, cycling and alpine skiing but chose canoeing. Since her diagnosis, she was inspired by Terry Fox who also had the same cancer as she did.^[3][4]

Scarff attended Brock University and studied kinesiology.^[5]

Career

Scarff began her paracanoe journey after visiting Balmy Beach Canoe Club in 2013, training there under Mari Ellery.^[6] In 2014, she took a semester off from her studies at Brock University to train paracanoe in Florida.^[5] She placed sixth in the women's KL3 200-metre race at the 2016 Paracanoe World Championships.^[7]

Scarff competed in paracanoe at the 2016 Paralympics, the year the sport made is Paralympic debut.^[8][9] She place seventh in the women’s KL3 paracanoe sprints at the Games, 2.56 seconds behind the gold medalist.^[6] At the 2017 Canoe Sprint World Cup, Scarff won bronze in the women's KL3 200-metre.^[10] She placed first at the 2018 National Team Selections in the Para K1 women's 200-metre.^[11]

In 2021, Scarff began training VL3.^[12] In the women’s VL3 200-metre at the 2023 ICF World Canoe and Kayak Sprint Championships, Scarff won silver.^[13] She also won three gold medals in sit skiing at the 2023 Canada Winter Games.^[14][15]

Scarff will compete for Canada in paracanoe at the 2024 Summer Paralympics.^[16]

Personal life

Scarff was hit by a car in 2018, resulting in injuries causing setbacks to her paracanoe career,^[17] including not qualifying for the 2020 Summer Paralympics.^[12]

References

1. "Erica Scarff - ICF Profile". canoeicf.com. 14 May 2020.
2. Infantry, Ashante (2009-04-29). "Gymnast surmounting hurdle of losing leg". Toronto Star. Retrieved 2024-08-18.
3. "Erica Scarff - Canadian Paralympic Committee". Canadian Paralympic Committee. 14 May 2020.
4. "Paralympics Athlete Profile: Erica Scarff". Brock Press. 27 September 2016.
5. Dakin, Dan (2016-08-12). "Brock Kinesiology student headed to Rio Paralympics". Brock University. Retrieved 2024-08-18.
6. McNeill, Holly (2016-09-16). "With gold in her sights, all Erica Scarff needs is a little time". The Toronto Observer. Retrieved 2024-08-18.
7. Colpitts, Iain (2016-07-01). "Cancer survivor Erica Scarff of Mississauga is off to Rio Paralympics". Mississauga The News. Retrieved 2024-08-18.
8. Nelson, Norm (2016-05-26). "Balmy Beach Canoe Club paddler Erica Scarff secures another spot for Canada for Rio 2016 Paralympics". Toronto.com. Retrieved 2024-08-18.
9. McNeill, Holly (2016-09-15). "Para-canoe makes its debut with a duo of Canadians". The Toronto Observer. Retrieved 2024-08-18.
10. "Canada's Katie Vincent paddles to silver at Canoe Sprint World Cup". CBC. 2017-05-27. Retrieved 2024-08-17.
11. "Weekend round-up: Scarff wraps herself in gold". Canadian Paralympic Committee. 2018-06-25. Retrieved 2024-08-18.
12. "New boat revitalizes Erica Scarff's career". Canadian Paralympic Committee. 2022-05-18. Retrieved 2024-08-18.
13. "Vincent, MacKenzie win bronze at sprint canoe worlds, clinch Olympic quota spot for Canada". CBC. 2023-08-26. Retrieved 2024-08-17.
14. "Erica Scarff". Canadian Paralympic Committee. Retrieved 2024-08-18.
15. "2023 Canada Winter Games - PEI". cg2023.gems.pro. Retrieved 2024-08-18.
16. Pereira, Gene (2024-06-25). "Mississauga's Scarff to compete in 2024 Paris Paralympic Games | INsauga". INsauga | Ontario Local News Network. Retrieved 2024-08-18.
17. "Hennessy and Scarff win silver medals at Para canoe world championships". Canadian Paralympic Committee. 2023-08-25. Retrieved 2024-08-18.

External links

• Erica Scarff at the Canadian Paralympic Committee
• Erica Scarff at the International Paralympic Committee