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The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge compete in a dragon boat race on Prince Edward Island

4th July 2011

The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge competed against each other on the water today as they took on the challenge of dragon boat racing.

The royal couple were supposed to be steering for their teams of 20 rowers but ended up paddling.

When the race started on Dalvay Lake, Prince Edward Island, The Duke and Duchess began rowing furiously with their team-mates and both dragon boats powered along the 200ft course.

The event was a close-fought race but The Duke's team had the edge and crossed the line a third of a boat's length ahead.

The Duke was all smiles as he stepped on to the shore and his check shirt and grey trousers were splashed with water from his effort.

As The Duke was handed a small bottle of champagne as his prize, he said: "There's no chivalry in sport."

Before the race The Duke was asked which team was going to win "We are, of course," he replied.

The Duchess said: "Not sure about that. I'm feeling slightly nervous," she confessed.

The Duke may have had the upper hand over his wife but when they were back on dry land she tried to even things out by playfully trying to push him in the water.

Heather Moyse, the Olympic bobsled gold medallist, shared a joke with The Duke as she presented him with a bottle of champagne for winning the race.

The sportswoman said she heard the royal on the radio joking about persuading his uncle the Earl of Wessex to rename the island Prince William Island.

She said: "I told him PWI is harder to say than PEI, but if he could arrange it with his uncle we would not mind."

She added: "Both he and Kate are very competitive, so I think it was good. As a female athlete, I would be really annoyed if someone let me win."

The royal couple were later welcomed by First Nations people with a traditional Mi'kmaq smudging ceremony.

Methilda Knockwood-Snache, 60, a Mi'kmaq elder who had lit some Sage leaves in a bowl wafted the smoke with an eagle wing towards The Duke and Duchess standing in front of her.

The Duchess went first in the ceremony cupping her hands and wafting the pungent smoke up to her face before chatting to the 60-year-old.

The Duke followed and did the same and also exchanged a few words with the elder before the royals gave Ms Knockwood-Snache and others with her, traditional gifts of tea - from exclusive store Fortnum and Mason - and red velvet packages containing tobacco.

After the ceremony the elder said the ritual cleanses the recipient's 'bad thoughts', senses and body.

She added: "I told William it would help him in his job as he's going to be faced with a lot of work and some times will be hard.

"I said that's why I'm smudging you to offer you guidance and he said 'I really need it'.