Ice canoe race draws 175 athletes to Montreal for ultimate showdown

Ice canoeing it's a tradition that dates back to the 17th century,when locals needed a way to cross the St.Lawrence River between Quebec City and Lvis during the winter months.

Overtime, the winter activity evolved from a necessary means of transportation into a competitive sport.

Flash forward to 2016, when 175 participants from as far away in the province asRimouskiandAbitibigathered at Montreal'sOld Port on Saturday for thefourth annual Ice Canoe Challenge.

The five members teams use spiked boots topropelthemselves along the ice until they hit open water, at which point they jump into their canoes and paddle like mad.

CBC'sRaffyBoudjikanianstopped by the race on Saturday to watch as athletes faced off in theuniqueQuebec sport.