Zoey Bourgeois of Regina is finishing her final preparations on the water before she heads east, to compete at the Jeux Canada Games in Winnipeg.
Bourgeois has been canoeing since she was ten years old.
The 17-year-old is a great example of sport development in a Saskatchewan athlete.
She worked her way into the Saskatchewan Summer Games, followed by the Westerns, and now the biggest stage of her young career.
Bourgeois will have plenty of opportunity to hang a medal around her neck at the games.
She will be competing in two solo races, three with a partner and two more races in a four person canoe.
“We have high hopes for the podium in our C2 event. We also have been training for our C4 a lot, but our C4 has 2 kayakers in it. So that means there are 2 kayakers in a canoe boat,” Bourgeois said.
“We’ve been training a lot, and obviously it’s a little unstable, but we’ve been working through the kinks and look forward to racing.”
Bourgeois and her teammates sometimes endure 4 training sessions a day, a grueling schedule for any athlete.
Bourgeois says she plans to take a break from competition after the Jeux Canada games, but you will still find her on the water.
She says she will continue to spend plenty of time at the Wascana Racing Canoe Club, teaching and coaching the kids.
“I like to coach the younger kids. I find they come here and are just so excited to be paddling and being on the lake,” she said.
“They are pretty excited and I just like to talk to them and tell them stories, play little games and they just get really excited to be here. That’s one of my favorite parts about coaching.”
Congratulations Zoey, you are this week’s MVP.
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