Meghan Cheung has a passion for water sports, but when it comes to canoe and kayak racing, she's still wet behind the ears.

A competitive swimmer and water polo player with the Langley Flippers, as well as a volleyball player, Cheung started paddling with the Fort Langley Canoe Club in mid-May.

The difference between the 13-year-old's new sport and the ones she is most familiar with is the parts of her body she uses to be successful.

"In those sports [swimming, water polo, and volleyball], it's your whole body, but in this sport [kayak racing] it's mainly your upper body," said Cheung, a Brookswood Secondary student. "You have to focus on what you're doing and keep your balance. You have to think about what you're doing."

Her interest was initially piqued when she watched the sport in the Olympics. Then, an acquaintance of hers suggested she give it a try.

"He recommended that I come down and try it," Cheung said. "I tried it, and I loved it."

The Langley resident's lack of experience isn't keeping her out of the BC Summer Games, currently taking place at venues throughout Langley Township and beyond this weekend.

The Zone 3 canoe/kayak team has several boys, but lacked female representation. Cheung is helping to fill a void with her participation in the Games.

She is competing in a number of train-to-train, mixed, and open kayak and canoe races along the Fraser River.

And by Games' end, Cheung, will be likely be arm weary.

She's entered in the C1 500m, K2 500m with partner Tarryn Macpherson of Maple Ridge, K1 500m, outrigger canoe (0C6) 500m with paddlers from Fort Langley and Maple Ridge, C2 500m with partner Olivia Cavasinni from Maple Ridge, K1 open slalom (in a white water boat), K4 500m along with Colton Meunch, Del Meunch, and Macpherson, a two kilometre OC6 race, and another C2 race with Cavasinni as her partner.

Asked if she had any expectations heading into the Games, Cheung answered, "Not really... just to do the best that I can and try to improve."

Cheung couldn't wait for the Games to begin. Leading up to this weekend's big event, she was on the water training three times a week.

"I'm really excited," she said, just a couple of weeks before the start of the Games. "I'm starting to feel nervous and I'm really excited."

Training has its challenges, Cheung said, but is worthwhile.

"Definitely doing something totally new and having to learn all about it, that's difficult," Cheung said, adding with a laugh. "Falling [into the water] in the rain is definitely difficult, to get back up, but once I got the hang of it, it was a lot easier. I learned how to balance my boat and now I feel more confident."

The Langley Township-hosted Games are now underway. Canoe and kayak races are taking place on the Bedford Channel in Fort Langley today (Friday), Saturday, and Sunday morning.