Paddles Up: RACING WATERS Gets a Season 2 Before Its First Episode Airs

APTN has ordered a second season of the docuseries Racing Waters a month before the first episode airs. The nine-episode, 22-minute series premieres weekly on APTN in English and streams on APTN+ starting September 13, 2026, with a Hul’q’umi’num version to follow on APTN Languages.

The series follows Indigenous war canoe and outrigger racing on the Pacific Northwest circuit, centred on the Island Brave Canoe Club from Snuneymuxw First Nation and its leader, Chief Mike Wyse Sr. Rookies and veterans compete for seats in the canoe, work through setbacks and chase spots on the international outrigger stage.

Season one was shot across British Columbia, as well as in Brazil, Calgary and Lummi, Washington. Season two, now in production, adds Victoria, Oregon, Washington, Hawaii, Singapore and Fort Langley, and brings in more clubs from the circuit, including Vikki Lynn Canoe Club and Rikkole Cree Canoe Club.

“That Season 2 of Racing Waters is already in production speaks volumes about the appeal of this new adrenaline-fueled series,” says Adam Garnet Jones, Director of TV Content and Special Events at APTN, who says it delivers suspense, resilience and the pride of representing one’s Nation.

Directing is Asia Youngman, the Cree-Métis filmmaker behind ESPN’s “30 for 30” film I’m Just Here for the Riot (2023) and second unit director on the Black Mirror episode “Common People.” Her short Delta Dawn (2024) won the Oscar-qualifying Betty Youson Award at Hot Docs in 2025, and earlier shorts N’xaxaitkw and This Ink Runs Deep premiered at TIFF.

She’s working alongside Racing Waters Productions Inc., the Indigenous-owned company founded by Carey Newman (Kwagiulth/Coast Salish) and Luke Marston (Stz’uminus First Nation). Newman, best known for the Witness Blanket, executive produces with Patti Poskitt. Marston, a Coast Salish master carver, produces with Mike Wavrecan (Moosemeat & Marmalade). Luke Connor shot the series, John Roney and Jovan Harmuth edit, and Jason Burnstick composed the score.

Racing Waters was produced in association with APTN with participation from the Canada Media Fund, the Rogers Series Fund, Creative BC, the Province of British Columbia Film Incentive BC, and the Canadian Film or Video Production Tax Credit Program. More at racingwaters.ca.