‘Don’t let go of the boat’: Calgary’s ice canoeing team gears up for race

If you’ve been along Calgary’s Bow River by night lately and wondered if your eyes deceived you, rest assured — ice canoeing (by night) is a real thing.

And it takes some real athletes to build up the courage to hurtle themselves over the jagged, unstable ice and frigid, fast-moving waters of the mighty Bow.

Get breaking National news

For news impacting Canada and around the world, sign up for breaking news alerts delivered directly to you when they happen.

Barney Mcilhargey was recruited by his rugby team in 1999. The 72 year old is still doing it — training by night with a multigenerational team about to launch into competition on the St. Lawrence river.

Watch the video above for more.