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Ice Canoeing

The sport of Ice Canoeing, as evident from its name, involves pushing and paddling canoes over a course of ice, slush and water. Ice canoeing is a team sport in which a five-member crew completes a course. This sport was devloped out of the use of canoes as a means of transportation between the shores and islands of Saint Lawrence River, Canada.

The canoes were originally made of wood, but of late, fiberglass materials are used. The length of the canoes have to be between 20 and 28 feet 2 inches. Boats are required to contain 100 liters of flotation material. Athletes wear shoes that have bolts screwed to the bottom to aid in traction while on the ice.

iced canoea canoe by a frozen lake

There are six major ice canoeing races conduced every year. The biggest and the most popular of them all is the le Grand Défi des Glaces, conducted as a part of the annual Quebec Winter Carnival. The race, conducted through powerful currents, huge chunks of ice, and cold water, sees participation from more than 40 teams.



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