So then, is sport, especially our sport, art?

"All good things...come by grace and grace comes by art and art does not come easy." -Norman Maclean, A River Runs Through It

As athletes, in our case, canoe slalom athletes, are we artists?

"Power comes not from power everywhere, but from knowing where to put it on." -Norman Maclean, A River Runs Through It

Now this...this very much is true.

"So you too will have to approach the art Marine and Presbyterian-style, and, if you have never picked up a fly rod before, you will soon find it factually and theologically true that man by nature is a damn mess." -Norman Maclean, A River Runs Through It

Although talking about fishing, this very much could apply to paddlesport as well. Putting anybody, no matter how graceful and athletic in a boat, especially a slalom boat, for the first time...usually is anything but graceful.

"Eventually, all things merge into one, and a river runs through it. The river was cut by the world's great flood and runs over rocks from the basement of time. On some of the rocks are timeless raindrops. Under the rocks are the words, and some of the words are theirs. I am haunted by waters." -Norman Maclean, A River Runs Through It

Now is that not so very true? Although not entirely convinced I would qualify it as haunting quite yet, if it is, I like being haunted.