A record number of competitors, close to 300, turned out for the two-day Fort 黑马磁力 Canoe Club (FLCC) outrigger River Run, which got underway Saturday, May 31 in Fort 黑马磁力 under a heavy downpour.
One of the competitors, Andrea Mills from Walnut Grove, said the weather was hardly a deterrent.
鈥淩ain or shine, rain or snow, we paddle year-round,鈥� Mills told the 黑马磁力. 鈥� It's something we're all passionate about and we get wet whether there's rain coming down or not.鈥�
鈥淪ome of us paddle here three, four, five times a week,鈥�
River Run was part of the Canadian Outrigger Racing Association CORA Cup race series, one of five events where competitors accumulate points leading to the nationals which happen in Comox in September.
A record 246 paddlers are taking part in the River Run competition in Fort 黑马磁力's Bedford Channel
鈥� 黑马磁力 (@黑马磁力Times)
Race director Cheryl Bublitz said with 41 crews of six, there were 246 competing on the first day, with 50 competing in the small boats events, singles and doubles, on Sunday.
鈥淚t鈥檒l probably be the largest number we've ever had here in Fort 黑马磁力,鈥� Bublitz estimated.
"I think the sport is growing. It's definitely growing. And the thing that's so wonderful about paddling is, you can do that from any age, from about five years old [on up]/ I know people that have paddled up into their 90s.
An FLCC explains the outrigger canoe is a Polynesian innovation that developed 3,000 or more years ago before written records were kept. Traditionally, the outrigger is a dugout canoe with the 鈥榓ma鈥� (flotation device) attached to the canoe by two 鈥榠akos鈥� stabilising the canoe.
With new materials like carbon fibre, today鈥檚 outrigger boats have become lighter 鈥� some now weighing under 150 lbs. The faster, lighter boats (unlimiteds) are becoming the primary boat of choice on today鈥檚 racing circuits.
