Racing demands discipline and endurance

Page 7

With immediate ancestral ties to people who used war canoes to conduct raiding parties, Snuneymuxw Elder Bill Seward observes how these boats are bringing Aboriginal peoples together.

His community, along Nanaimo's water shore, hosted a 25-race event on June 29 and 30. The Harbour City was one of 15 weekly stops this season between British Columbia and Washington where different tribes have hosted or will host a regatta.

Seward, 82, while overseeing the races as honorary marshal, recalled the stories told to him by his grandmother about a time when Haida canoes from the Queen Charlotte Islands invaded Vancouver Island. It was she, stationed north in Parksville 140 years ago, who warned the Coast Salish villages of the advancing fleets with a series of smoke signals.

While the need for war canoes gradually diminished, Seward eventually became a champion paddler himself, dominating races during the 1950s and 1960s. He also later informally initiated the weekly series of regattas along the Pacific Coast that lasted for about two decades.

"That canoe is sacred and should be taught the same as the longhouse," Seward said. He once had a canoe named Prince Philip after Queen Elizabeth, on a Canadian visit, gave her permission to use the name. "The boat was one and the same with you and it was a (significant) part of the culture."

Now it's his grandson, Paul Wyse-Seward, who has maintained the family tradition in the sport. He has revived the Nanaimo races the past five years and these coastal affairs have become more organized, with a set schedule starting in late April.

"I take a lot of pride because it's a real big thing to keep the races going in the community," Wyse-Seward said, while out in a boat judging the races.

The simplicity of canoe racing, getting from start to finish, doesn't require a significant number of rules to govern the sport. However, a trend towards more aggressive paddling has resulted in the elder Seward's displeasure.

When addressing the participants prior to the men's singles race opening the weekend, Seward's rule discussion was brief. His few words were captivating and because of that, there wasn't any need to examine those regulations that were printed.

"When I first pulled canoe, I won because I went by the rules of the Elders," Seward stated, adding you cannot take with you any anger into the boat before a race. "You respect the canoe because that's our culture."

Seward later expressed his disappointment when an incident during the women's singles resulted in a boat capsizing. Then it was Wyse-Seward, after consulting with others from the water sports committee, who disqualified one of the paddlers.

That however was the only blemish on the weekend. Although Wyse-Seward's officiating skills were tested during the highly anticipated men's 11 race, which was delayed to Sunday morning after the tides unexpectedly shifted the night before.

With a half-dozen crews entered, spectators focused on the Geronimo II from West Saa'nich against a local canoe, Sweet-Ann, as both boats immediately separated themselves from the pack. After six minutes when the Sweet-Ann took its first lead, the jockeying between the crews continued for the next 20 minutes.

Without lane markers, boats are free to travel whatever course they choose. This can include right beside the opposing canoe, where gamesmanship, legal or otherwise, occurs and can include splashing to hitting paddles to even arms.

Into the final corner, the Geronimo II held the lead by a nose with the inside track. Yet when the canoe rounded the buoy and got hooked on the floating ball, Sweet-Ann emerged with the advantage even with having to go wide.

Down the final half-kilometre straightaway, Geronimo II regained its composure and pulled out a victory by a length of two seats in 26:49.

"One of the guys said 'Let's go' so we all beared down and I know our boys can do that," Geronimo II captain Leonard Morris Sr., 47, said. "Especialy paddling with my nephews and sons, it's just the neatest feeling to come out with a victory."

Another strong performer during the weekend was Gord Seymour from Chemainus, who won the men's singles by 14 seconds and then, a few races later, the doubles event on Saturday evening, with partner Moody Edwards.

With 25 races, Nanaimo can have almost twice as many categories as some other stops on the schedule. Many additional heats were contested by youngsters, and the eventual pleasure displayed by them was worth the extra effort Wyse-Seward put forward.

"Just to see kids out there racing, so the sport won't die out. There were a lot of happy faces in our community and village," the co-ordinator said.