TORONTO -- Josh Henry wants to be Canada’s greatest explorer.
The Fort Frances native is one of 12 people from across the country seeking the title, a competition put on by Woods Canada that pits participants against each other in a series of wilderness challenges across the country.
Henry and his competitors have no idea what those challenges might be until the actual day of competition.
The 28-year-old is hoping his background as an outdoors guide will give him an advantage over his rivals when their skills are finally put to the test.
“Growing up in Northwestern Ontario is a pretty good start, I guess,” he said, reached by phone on Thursday in Toronto where contestants gathered ahead of the next stage of competition.
“I worked as an outdoor adventure guide in Alberta and B.C. the last three years and I do a lot of traveling. In my down time I’ve been to more than 50 countries now, so I do a lot of outdoor exploration.”
It’s only natural he feels at one with nature, Henry said.
It’s in the blood of most Canadians.
“It’s some of the most beautiful outdoors of anywhere in the world. Growing up in Fort Frances, being out on the lake all the time, I’ve just naturally been exposed to it and gained a love for it,” Henry said.
Wining the competition means being prepared for anything organizers might throw at the competitors. No one skill is enough to win, he said.
Nor is Henry all that concerned about what his competitors – all male – might bring to the competition.
“Some of them have better beards than me, so I’m a little bit worried about that,” he joked. “I’m well rounded. I do biking and I do swimming. I’ve run half marathons before, so it’s a bit of everything.”
It was the title of Woods Canada’s Greatest Explorer that first convinced him to sign up for the contest, submit a video and then push for votes using social media and other means.
“I guess I do consider myself an explorer, so a competition like this takes place in various parts of Canada and exposes you to stuff that maybe you’ve never seen or never done,” he said.
“I think the only thing you really can do is tell yourself to expect the unexpected.”
Filming is scheduled to take place between May 17 and June 24, with show episodes airing at www.WoodsExplorer.ca in the summer.
Top prize in the reality show, hosted by Ricky Forbes, is $25,000.
