New series follows Vancouver Island Indigenous war canoe, outrigger racers
Published 11:30 am Saturday, October 10, 2026
It’s off to the races for docu-series buffs as award-winning Cree-Métis director Asia Youngman makes a splash with his new nine episode, 22-minute series Racing Waters which made its APTN debut on Sept. 13.
Racing Waters takes viewers into the exhilarating world of Indigenous war canoe and outrigger racing through the eyes of the paddlers of the Pacific Northwest and the Island Brave Canoe Club from the Snuneymuxw First Nation. Youngman (I’m Just Here for The Riot, Black Mirror) has created an intimate portrait of a community where every stroke carries generations of history, responsibility, and pride, said a press release for the series.
“It has been a long road creating this series and we put together an award-winning productions team,” said producer Luke Marston. “It feels great to have the finished product on air. Our production team has gone above and beyond not only to represent Island Brave but the whole war canoe race circuit in the best way possible.”
Marston says the crew was extensive, with a typical field crew of seven to nine depending on shoots, and at least another 20 people across production support, post, and marketing.
“The Island Brave team along with other teams on the coast have been generous in opening their doors to share some of the paddling traditions,” said Marston.
Originally from Stz’uminus First Nation, Marston, a carver who has been around canoes his whole life carving both tribal journey and single race canoes, says the inspiration for the series came from seeing there was a space that his people held in the world of paddling. Marston himself has now gone on three tribal journeys, and first started paddling racing canoes four years ago.
“The race circuit has world class paddlers competing every weekend,” said Marston. “Our people are water people, we live on the water. It’s a long tradition for as long as our people have lived here, and a tradition that we want to share with the viewers.”
Viewers will see Racing Waters follow paddlers as they compete in the fiercely competitive Pacific Northwest war canoe circuit while simultaneously pursuing opportunities in outrigger racing on the international stage. Season one was shot in several B.C. locations including Agassiz, Cultus Lake, Comox, Musqueam, Saanich, North Vancouver, Cowichan Bay, Nanaimo and Cumberland. Other notable shooting locations include Calgary, Alta., Lummi, Washington, as well as Rio De Janeiro and Niteroi in Brazil.
“Filming in Brazil was hands down a standout shooting location,” said Youngman. “The landscape, and culture are so vibrant. Niterói was our backdrop for the outrigger races, and our paddling team and crew received a special invitation to visit Christ the Redeemer [a famous monument] before it opened to the public. It was pretty magical watching the sun rise over the entire city of Rio, and capturing that moment on camera.”
Youngman and his team can look forward to capturing several other special moments on camera, as Racing Waters was greenlit for a second season ahead of its official premiere.
“We were all excited, there is so much opportunity to showcase the talent we have here within our paddling community,” said Marston. “This is an old tradition with so many life building teachings. This series gives us a platform to lift up our community in a positive way.
Racing Waters is now available on aptntv.ca.