Fort McMurray firefighter pushes out of his consolation zone in Canada's Final Problem

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A Fort McMurray firefighter hopes to encourage folks throughout Canada as he competes on a CBC present that turns the nation right into a nation-wide impediment course. Christian Oberegger, 37, mentioned in an interview that he loved each minute of the gruelling and difficult expertise.

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“If I can encourage folks to make change for the great and convey the nation collectively by laughing at my expense, that’s one thing that’s cool,” mentioned Oberegger, who’s one in all 24 opponents on the CBC present Canada’s Final Problem. “My mission was to unfold pleasure and encourage at the least one particular person to higher themselves.”

Oberegger has been with the Fort McMurray Fireplace Division since April 2016 and has been a firefighter since 2014. The present options 24 folks divided into six groups which can be assigned an expert athlete to be coach. Oberegger’s group had Gilmore Junio, a three-time Olympic speedskater. Different coaches included Olympians Donovan Bailey, Waneek Horn-Miller, Clara Hughes, Jen Kish, and Tremendous Bowl champion Luke Willson.

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The tagline of the eight-episode sequence is that it “turns your entire nation into a large impediment course.” The six groups are thrown by means of a gauntlet of bodily demanding challenges from coast-to-coast. This consists of every thing from rafting on the Athabasca River to making a bridge over a canyon in Whitehorse.

As a former soccer participant who attended a coaching camp with the Winnipeg Blue Bombers, Oberegger’s largest hurdles weren’t bodily. Planning for a soccer sport can final days and by his personal admission, he’s a routine-oriented particular person. This match made Oberegger improvise and assume on his ft. Teamwork was vital to make it to the tip of the day.

“The entire dynamic shouldn’t be understanding what you’re doing,” he mentioned. “A number of the challenges have been out of my wheelhouse.”

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Oberegger joined the present after he was contacted by Kwame Osei, a former bodily schooling instructor at Holy Trinity Excessive Faculty. Osei additionally performed soccer with Obregger at St. Francis Xavier College and competed on The Superb Race Canada throughout 2019 season. Producers requested Osei if he knew anybody who could be match for the present and he talked about Oberegger.

At first, Oberegger hesitated as a result of he was not enthusiastic about being within the highlight. However when he learn the present is heavy on teamwork and exhibiting management, Oberegger despatched an audition tape. His mom was going by means of well being points when he was interviewed by producers, however after the interview one producer informed Oberegger to name his mother and inform her he could be on the present.

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Lots of the challenges concerned heights and have been unnerving. He describes himself as a “wear-your-heart-on-your-sleeve sort of man” and had a passionate outlook on the occasion. At instances he was allowed to provide pep-talks to the remainder of the group.

However he additionally noticed Canada’s magnificence as a competitor. Challenges within the Yukon and Squamish, B.C. have been favourites, he mentioned. Quebec Metropolis was simply as lovely as he remembered when he final visited as a baby. Oberegger can’t give any spoilers, however says the expertise was unimaginable. He has nothing however reward for the opposite opponents, who he says grew to become like a household on the finish.

“On a private degree, I used to be very happy with how I competed,” mentioned Oberegger. “I used to be very blessed with the group that was given to me.”

Canada’s Final Problem airs Thursdays on CBC and CBC Gem.

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