A canoe on the shore of the Churchill River, south of Ile-à-la-Crosse.
Since World War II, canoeing has become a major pastime and sport in Saskatchewan. Most participants are recreational canoeists who spend a few hours or days paddling in the province's extensive lakes and rivers, although canoe racing has become a major sport in recent years. There are also whitewater canoeists who enjoy the challenge posed by the many rapids of northern Saskatchewan - as on the Churchill River, a drawing card for whitewater enthusiasts from many other parts of Canada as well as overseas. Canoe outfitters and eco-tourist operators located in northern Saskatchewan as well as the province's major cities now provide an array of services for local and visiting canoeists. Just over 1,000 of Saskatchewan's more avid paddlers now belong to one or more of the province's thirteen canoe clubs; this compares with a total membership of only 238 in 1995. First established in 1976, the Saskatchewan Canoeing Association is the umbrella organization for the province's canoe clubs and administers four divisions: recreational, whitewater, marathon, and flatwater. Of these, flatwater (Olympic) racing clubs have grown the most rapidly, with a membership now constituting well over half of canoe club membership in the province.
Greg Marchildon