Kayaking is front and centre at the Great Canadian Kayak Challenge and Festival, but Sunday afternoon Timmins was treated to an exhibition of aquatic acrobatics performed by Summer Water Sports and Muskoka Flyboarding to the amazement of the sun-drenched crowd watching from the banks of the Mattagami River.
There was free style water ski jumping, barefooting, water ballet, a pyramid, comedy and there was a demonstration of acrobatic flips, turns and dives all on two jet bursts of water.
“It’s called flyboarding,” explained Geordy Newlands of Summer Water Sports and Muskoka Fly board. “You have to have ice in your veins and the occasional Advil.”
Flyboarding was performed by Sam Cowley, one of many international water skiers.
“We have Americans, Australians as well as Canadian water skiers,” said Newlands
Summer Water Sports has performed all over the world. This is the second Kayak Festival they have participated in.
“We have performed in China, Mexico, Grand Cayman (and) all over Canada,” added Newlands
While one team from Summer Water Sport performed at the Kayak Festival, another was at the Canadian National Exhibition in Toronto where they put on two shows a day for two weeks.
At peak summer season, Summer Water Sports and Muskoka Flyboard employs 65 water skiers, fly boarders and water comedians like Steve Morrison.
“Performing on the Mattagami River is great. A bit cold, but great,” Newlands said. “The current of the Mattagami is something we have to adjust for.”
“But it isn’t really a factor, as we have skied at places like Digby, Nova Scotia with some of the world’s biggest tides,” he added. “The crowd at the Kayak Festival is amazing, the site is amazing, we hope to be back next year.”
In addition to the water pyramid and other water ski acrobatics, the performance also had a touch of humour.
The comedy routine by Steve Morrison Summer Water Sport and Muskoka Fly board.
During a comedy routine by Steve Morrison, he skis on one leg, holds on with one hand and then performs a death defying jump – only he really doesn't and the crowd breaks out in laughter as he argues with them about whether or not he should complete the jump.
Summer Water Sport and Flyboard Muskoka is located in Minette, Ont. near Port Carling.
They are Canada’s largest water sport company.
