Shoulders dropped and lungs prepared to heave as 12 Squamish Nation paddles grazed the water at the starting line of the regatta held as part of the oceanfront celebrations Saturday (Sept. 22).
And then they were gone.
The Mt. Cha-Ki Warriors rocketed away from kayaks, canoes, outriggers and Squamish's new dragon boat to chalk up another victory on the war canoe.
"It takes discipline and togetherness," said Shlomish, the team's coach and skipper."One heart, one mind, one spirit," added his wife, Sesaxwalia.
Racing south from the railway bridge over the Howe Sound Channel to the end, the Warriors finished well ahead of the pack. The team consisted of the young and younger, ranging in age from seven to 20. Kayaker Mike Truelove came in second after getting a boost from a passing fishing boat's wake. "It made a wake I could surf on, but they were too fast," said Truelove. "You're in a different category when you race against a boat full of buff native kids."
Meanwhile, Paul and Catherine Lorette recruited their own youth to help paddle their canoe. Son Bradley, 8, and daughter Margo, 5, were all smiles as they paddled furiously."It was neat for them to know they were the youngest," said Catherine.
Squamish Oceanfront Development Corporation board member Ted Prior organized the regatta to bring people together on the water. He also wanted to test-drive Squamish's new dragon boat, donated by the Vancouver Dragon Boat Association the day before. It passed the test.
"It's a jet once you get it going," he said. "They say 500 metres in two minutes. It was way more boat than I thought it would be."He and Carl Mendoza, a seasoned dragon boat racer, hope to organize a team to represent Squamish. The team requires 22 paddlers, and drummer and someone in the stern steering the helm. For the race, unfortunately, the boat only had about 14 paddlers so they couldn't compete with the Mt. Cha-Ki Warriors. That didn't bother Prior, though, since the main purpose of the race was to enjoy the water.
"I loved to see them go like that. It was so good for their pride."
Prior is planning on making the race an annual event and Mendoza will run paddling lessons in the near future. As for the Squamish team, the bar is set high.
"We're hoping to find a corporate sponsor that will allow us the ability to get a team in the provincials next year."
