Donald Teuma-Castelletti
NORWAY BAY July 22, 2017
The Norway Bay beach saw a flock of eager young canoers Saturday morning, as the waterfront played host to races and an opportunity to learn about water safety.
Hosted by the Norway Bay Municipal Association (NBMA), their fifth annual canoe and kayak regatta welcomed children and teenagers from all over the Pontiac out onto the water for some friendly competition.
Peter Niedre, director of the canoe and kayak program for the NBMA, said the event is a great chance for kids from all over the area, not just Norway Bay, to race, swim and paddle with a large group, all the while having lots of excitement.
“It’s an opportunity for kids to have fun and show off their skills,” said Niedre. “They can make it as competitive or as fun as they want.”
Based on the levels of yelling, screaming and jeering happening, these kids were making the absolute most of it.
The morning kicked off with a ‘freezie race,’ where kids participated in a long-distance paddle and were awarded a freezie at the end of it. This acted as a warm-up, before the races started, and offered varying distances for different age groups.
The rest of the morning consisted of different styles of races, including a javelin throw race – where kids would throw the paddle and pull their way to it with their hands instead – and an in and out race – where they’d drop out of the vessel when a whistle blew, and have to climb back in to continue.
A relay race saw teams of three, one girl and two boys, scrambling, cheering and hollering along the shore, as their teammates raced out to a buoy and back. However, this level of competition was only a precursor to the dragon boat timed race that followed.
With shouts of “tip the boat” and “east is beast,” the dragon boat was brought out for a quick race. Divided between the east and west of Norway Bay, teams piled into the boat and paddled as quickly as they could. This year the east side won, encouraging further cheering and building upon the friendly rivalry.
The morning concluded with a race between the war canoe and dragon boat. Those with previous experience in the war canoe piled in the massive vessel, and narrowly won the race.
The morning was the culmination of a few weeks of lessons, run through the NBMA with the help of volunteers. The lessons run Monday through Friday, depending on the student’s age, and are open to everyone, not just Norway Bay residents.
“We have lots of equipment, so we can handle a lot of kids,” said Niedre.
He also highlighted how students can build their canoeing skills, be active and gain a safe respect for the water through proper, fun lessons.
As well, kids can get some unique opportunities they wouldn’t usually be offered.
“Last week, we took a bunch of kids to Cascade Canoe Club in Chelsea,” said Niedre. “There, they raced against a bunch of other clubs from all over Quebec.”
07.26 Canoe
