Category Archives: Sports

Indigenous Nations, Sports

Reclaiming surfing as a traditional native women’s sport

Editor’s note: highlighting the First Nations origins of a popular sport.

By Alexandra Mehl, Ha-Shilth-Sa, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter

Tofino, BC – As the sun beamed onto Esowista beach, youth of the Mułaa, Rising Tide Surf team gathered around Lacy Kaheaku, a native to Hawaiʻi, to learn how to carve traditional wooden surfboards and the Indigenous roots of the sport.

“Women did a lot of the surfing in native Hawaiian culture,” said Kaheaku, adding that royalty, alongside warriors, would also surf. “But majority of the leisurely surfing was done by women.”

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Community, Sports

Blind man swims across the Georgia Strait to Nanaimo

By Mick Sweetman,  CHLY 101.7 FM Nanaimo, through an LJI grant from Canada-info.ca

“Go Scotty!” shouted a voice from the shore of Pipers Lagoon in Nanaimo as Scott Rees finished a 30 km swim across the Georgia Strait on Sunday.

Though he could hear the cheers, Scott Rees couldn’t see who was yelling, as he had just completed the 11-hour open water marathon swim while completely blind.

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Sports

Local karate instructor offers self defense classes, donates proceeds

By Louis Belcourt, CKTZ News, through an LJI grant from Canada-info.ca

A local karate and kinesiology specialist has been hosting a weekly self-defense class on Cortes Island and donating the proceeds back to the community.

Kaitlin Garratt runs “Fierce and Fluid,” which she describes as an “empowered self defense class,” blending cardio kickboxing, karate, and “foundational energy principles to help you embody your core power and learn to deliver it with grace to the world.”

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Sports

Soon-to-be Stars

Originally published on qathet Living

The U15 Powell River Queens are about to go global in the International Ice Hockey Federation’s GGG event

Sitting on the benches just off the rink at the Rec Complex – skates half-on, pre-practice – the U15 Queens hockey team gathered around to hear a special announcement. They had been chosen to play a special game February 18, against the Sechelt Blues, representing all of BC, in the Global Girls Game (GGG) event which will feature female hockey teams from all over the world. It took the teens a few minutes to realize that this is, indeed a big deal.

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Sports

International rally racer trains in qathet’s cold & mud for hot & dry events

Originally published on qathet Living

By Gareth Jones

My true passion is riding the trails on my dirt bike. With three young children, I only manage to squeeze in an hour or two here and there, but even that can be enough time to work up a sweat making my way to a favorite peak. While catching my breath, my reward is looking out at Georgia Strait or Haslam Lake. I always remember to be considerate and respectful while using the trails, so everyone can enjoy them safely. 

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