War canoe headed to Olympics makes maiden voyage
Posted May 13, 2012 07:11:43 AM.
This article is more than 5 years old.
Fourteen teens paddled on one knee in a newly minted war canoe in Nova Scotia Saturday, a practice-of-sorts for the crew’s appearance at the London 2012 Olympics this summer.
The team of boys and girls from Cheema Aquatic Club in Waverley, Nova Scotia, was selected to represent Canada at a demonstration event at the Olympics.
Other boats from around the world will be exhibited at the demonstration.
Club supporters and officials from Canoe Kayak Canada watched from the shore as the crew paddled the war canoe through the waters of Lake Thomas on its maiden voyage.
For 16-year-old Hayley Nelson, heading to the Olympics means that she’s one step closer to her dream of competing at the Olympics.
The Cheema crew was selected after beating out several other boats from across the country at a race last August in Welland, Ontario.
Jon Pike, the crew’s coach, said war canoes are uniquely Canadian and is proud his crew won the opportunity to showcase it on the world stage.
Robert Fraser, a local craftsman, says the boat took him three and a half months to construct and is built from nine metre-long sheets of cedar from British Columbia.
