REGINA -- After delays in training due to COVID-19, kayakers are back out on Wascana Lake.

The Wascana Racing Canoe Club reopened for experienced paddlers on May 19.

“I was so excited! Like constant happiness just the happiest I’ve ever probably been in my life,” Aysha Sparrowhawk said before her morning practice Wednesday.

The junior racing team was getting into the Wascana for their seventh practice of the week. The crew started the season with a camp in Florida in March, however training dried up when the pandemic hit.

Fifteen-year-old Nicholas LaHaye has his own kayak, and practiced frequently by himself when the club was forced to close. However LaHaye says padding solo had its challenges.

“I started looking at my GPS more to try to see how fast I’m going on that. It’s a lot easier to motivate off of everybody else around you,” he said.

Grace Neiser is 14 years old but has been kayaking for the last six years. She was happy to get back on the water, where there’s more competition.

“On the water we’re a team, but also we’re trying to better ourselves and each other,” she said.

Regina hosted the Canoe and Kayak National Championships last year at the Wascana, but the 2020 Regatta in Ottawa has been cancelled. The club is looking into hosting a local regatta in August, with teams from Manitoba, Alberta and British Columbia, if interprovincial travel is encouraged again.

“Without a big goal for the end of the year, it can be hard to be motivated and really push for something this year,” said assistant coach Christian Patterson.

And the racers, including Sparrowhawk, are just changing pace.

“Just makes me realize I have more long term goals than short term goals,” she said.

Neiser says instead of trying to peak at a certain time, she’s looking at improving what she can now.

“Really focus on my technique and make sure that I’m just putting more power in my strokes, I just want to be faster when I get back into racing,” she said.

Since the weather has been getting warmer, the club has seen a surge in requests for memberships. However until restrictions are lifted, they can’t accept new paddlers.

“Because we can’t have groups bigger than nine, we have a lot on the waiting list,” said Patterson.

Patterson hopes when government restrictions ease up, perhaps in phase four, they’ll be able to accept rookies into the club. Until then, everyone, including the club members, will have to practice patience.