//------------------------------// // Chapter 108- Paddling To The Extreme Pt.9 // Story: Good Morning Equestria // by Quoterific //------------------------------// “Welcome to your daily coverage of the Equestria Games as they happen, in partnership with the Reformed Unicorn Podcast,” Gabby welcomed their listeners back for more action across the city of Manehattan, “Joining me from the R.U.G. is Trixie! Great to have you on the show for today. so why don’t we start off by telling us where we are and what we are going to cover today?” “The Great and Powerful Trixie warmly invites you to Manehattan’s Uptown Water Sports Centre. We are outside the stadium to watch the canoe slalom. This is a sport that requires tact and finesse, which luckily I am blessed with both on the stage instead of the water.” Gabby rolled her eyes at Trixie’s remarked. “The rules are simple. Each canoeist must successfully pass through the gates as they go down the rapids, steering their canoe with only their paddle, as fast as they can,” Gabby continued to explain the rules, “They must also not touch or miss the gates, as touching adds a two second time penalty and missing a gate will lead a fifty second time penalty. The player should cross the finish line in an upright position and not with their boat capsized and timing starts as the player crosses the starting gate.” “Sounds simple enough,” Trixie thought over the rules, “Now that we established what our brave canoeist have to do, let’s see, most importantly, who will taking on the fierce rapids from the water sports centre.” Trixie levitated a scroll over to Gabby, who took it in her talons and unrolled it out. 1. Hope Hollow 2. Fillydelphia 3. San Franciscolt 4. Mexicolt 5. Seaddle “The have a full pony list of cities from all over Equestria competing for that gold medal,” Gabby looked down the list, “This is going to be a tough event, with all that energy going in to navigate the rapids with just a paddle.” “We now turn our attention to the slalom course as we watch the first canoeist from Hope Hollow to take his place. Remember, time starts once the canoeist crosses the starting gates,” Trixie said as all eyes from the booth and audience were on the first boat. With a few strong strokes, the boat made it through the starting gate. “He makes it through the gate as he heads towards the first target gate, making it through with ease,” Gabby commentated, “He lets the waters do the work, paddling lightly as he makes through the second gate without touching it. Onto the bend now as he gets through the third gate, slight brush which will mean a penalty. The rapids are pushing him towards the final gate as he makes it through the finishing gates!” “One minute forty-two seconds with time penalty is the time to beat from Hope Hollow,” Trixie announced, “What a start to the competition that was from Hope Hollow!” “Let’s see what Fillydelphia has to offer as he paddles through the starting gates and the clock begins to tick,” Gabby watched with focus, “He makes it through the first gates, and positions himself for the second. He passes it smoothly and into a slight bend for the third gate. He’s onto the final bend as he passes through the fourth and five gates as he paddles as fat as he can to the finishing gate, and he crosses through them like it was nothing. He absolutely smashed that course!” “One Minute twenty-six seconds is the new time to beat!” Trixie read the finishing time, “With no penalty added, that was absolutely phenomenal, and that says a lot coming from somepony as great and powerful as yours truly.” Gabby pretended not to hear the last part as she commentated the next hopeful from San Franciscolt. “The canoeist from San Franciscolt paddles through the starting gates and the time has started,” Gabby announced, “He lets the rapids do the work as he goes through the first gate, positioning himself ready for the second, though hitting the boat with the gate which will be a penalty. He is struggling with the counter current on that turn now as he approaches the third gate and onto the final bend for the fourth and fifth gates as he crosses through the finish.” “And I’m afraid it isn’t fast enough, with one minute fifty-three seconds means that he falls behind,” Trixie sighed, “We now turn our attention to the Hoofington canoeist as he crosses the starting gates and look at him go! Ge cruises through the first gate and tackles the second gate effortlessly. He takes the slight bend through the third and fort like they were nothing! Onto the final sharp corner onto the fifth and sixth gates as he paddles through the finishing gate! The look on his face says everything!” “One minute seventeen seconds for this short but effective course says everything!” Gabby announced with her wings flapping in excitement, almost knocking Trixie over, “We have Mexicolt next as he starts at the opening gates and makes it through the first and second gate. He struggles with the bend as he clears the third gate, but hits the fourth as he turns too early for the corner. He paddles round the final corner as he tackles the final two gates. Oh no! He has capsized and now has to regain balance before it’s too late. He manages to get through the fifth gate and barely holds it through the sixth. He has to stay upright as he nears the finishing gate and just does!” “One minute thirty-seven seconds for Mexicolt,” Trixie announced, “It is time for the final hopeful from Seaddle to take his place in his canoe. He paddles over to the starting gate and the clock begins to tick away the seconds.” “He makes it through the first gate, smoothly into the second.#,” Gabby took over, “A slight bend follows as he lets the rapids carry him to the third and fourth gates as he angles himself to pass through them like they weren’t even there! He rounds the final corner as he makes it through the fifth, but slightly off with the sixth as he just hits it with his paddle there as he makes it through the finishing gate.” “And it’s super close!” Trixie announced the times, “With a finishing time of one minute thirty-eight with penalty time, he takes het bronze, Mexicolt with the silver and Fillydelphia takes the gold medal. I hoped you enjoyed the canoeing today, but from the R.U.G and G.M.E, it’s goodbye from us!”