A team of dragon boat racers aren't letting a little frozen water prevent them from practicing.
The Manitoba Dragon Boat Team, which also competes for Team Canada, is practising its sport on ice after seeing countries like China continue to train year-round.
Jerome Seremak, the coach of the team, told CTV News that they attach skates to the bottom of the boat so they can continue to practise their technique while the water of Winnipeg's River Trail is frozen.
"We have a little cradle, we put them on, tie them with straps and away she goes," he said.
The team practises this way at least three times per week, skating their boat up to 10 kilometres. It’s all in an effort to keep the athletes in shape for warmer weather.
Practising has become crucial exercise for the team, with many of their competitions cancelled due to the pandemic and the world’s largest ice dragon boat festival in Ottawa going virtual later this month.
While ice may not stop the team, the extreme cold might. With temperatures dipping below -30 C some days after the sun goes down, the team usually has to pack it in before nightfall.
