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Winterus Maximus debuts at Edmonton's Flying Canoë Volant festival

Somehow, some way, someone came up with a way to make Edmonton's Flying Canoë Volant even more whimsical this year.

Saturday's Festival saw the debut of Winterus Maximus, a sport the creators explain as one where "Roman Gladiator chariots meets chuckwagon racing meets dog sledding."

Winterus Maximus features homemade chariots designed by the competitors, pulled by fat bikes that race around a circular track.

The chariots are manned by a team of three. Two people take the reins of fat bikes — bikes made for winter cycling — and one steers the chariot.

In its first year, the event had six entrants competing for a variety of prizes, with first place being a $500 cash prize.

The idea was dreamed up by the people behind MADE, Media Architecture Design Edmonton. Sam Singh, one of MADE's co-chairs, says this is their little way of taking back winter through design.

"I think the inspiration is just the idea of using our hands and building something cool, building something neat and looking at winter as an opportunity to have fun and not something that prevents it."

Singh says that he believes this is the first ever event of its kind.

Our Josh Skurnik was there to watch the chariots take off.