Majorie Homer-Dixon packaged a couple of handy attributes – talent and determination – into a formula that took her to lofty heights in Canadian canoeing.

     That she was talented and determined to succeed became evident as soon as she first dipped her paddle in the water as a 14-year-old in 1959, the first year that the Mississauga Canoe Club made way for females to compete. Her zest for the sport was still evident 26 years later when she first competed in the Master category. In between, Marjorie has written several memorable chapters in the book of Canadian female paddling.

     “War baby” Marjorie was born in a concentration camp in Indo-China. The family moved to Mississauga and, as a student at Port Credit Secondary School, it was natural that she would be exposed to paddling. Over the years, she became a pioneer among women paddlers. She was on the first Canadian K-2 (kayak tandem) team to win a Pan-American games bronze medal (Winnipeg in 1967); member of the first Canadian women quad to win a gold medal in North America K-4 (four person kayak) in 1969; the first woman to represent Canada in K-1 kayak in Olympic competition (1968 in Mexico City); the first woman in Canada to reach the semifinals of a kayak world championship (Yugoslavia in 1971); and the first of two woman to travel beyond outside Canada for serious training.

     The ‘72 Munich Games were to be the exclamation mark on her career. Instead it became Marjorie’s biggest disappointment. Going into the Olympics, she was in the best form of her career and was among the favourites to win a medal. However a severe illness struck her during the Olympics. Somehow she managed to finish here race but her medal dreams were washed away.

     On top of her international achievements, Marjorie also has won a bag full of Canadian championship medals over a decade between 1962 and ‘72.

     When she retired from competition Marjorie turned her attention toward coaching and played a key role helping Mississauga Canoe Club develop some promising double-blade paddlers.