SOMBA K'E/YELLOWKNIFE
The wind beat down on two teams - one from Sir John Franklin School and the other from St. Patrick High School - but that didn't stop them from duking it out in a canoe race for supremacy at the fourth-annual Paddle Battle on Frame Lake.
Sir John Franklin celebrating as they pass the finishing mark. In the front, Peter Curan, grad advisor. - Joseph Tunney/NNSL photo |
"I had the idea for several years before it came to fruition," said Cathy Allooloo, owner of NARWAL Northern Adventures, which hosted the Wednesday event.
"NARWAL is looking for ways to support local youth. We just thought this was a good fit."
The event was supposed to take place at Somba K'e Civic Plaza next to city hall but because the wind it was moved to the Prince of Wales Northern Heritage Centre.
The race itself consists of two 29-foot voyageur canoes, each holding 13 people, which cross the lake toward city hall twice.
It also includes a few required 360-degree turns thrown in for good measure.
At the finishing line was $200 for the winning team's grad committee.
"My hunch is that the money isn't the big draw," said Allooloo. "There's school pride at stake."
NARWAL provides pilots for each boat but are instructed to only steer the canoes and not contribute to the actual paddling.
At the end of the day, Sir John Franklin won, tying the overall score for the past four years to 2-2, meaning next year's race will be a tie-breaker.
Kirianne Ashley, a Sir John Franklin Grade 12 student, said she didn't even know there was prize money involved. She was just happy to settle the score.
While the students get much opportunity to practice beforehand, many of them grew up paddling, so they had plenty of experience.
"We never practiced together. Cathy, who was our steerer at the back of the boat, pretty much said, 'When I say paddle left ... people on the left paddle,'" she said.
"We were like, 'We'd better listen.'"
