美国家政女王玛莎·斯图尔特决定在本周末亲自划动一只“船”来横渡加拿大哈利法克斯市附近的一个湖泊，而这只船其实就是一个中间被掏空的巨型南瓜。

    据路透社日前报道，这项一年一度的划南瓜船比赛的参加者包括政治家、当地名流以及其他各界人士，他们将乘坐巨型的南瓜横渡湖泊。

    报道说，这项慈善赛事的组织者是一位名叫霍华德·迪尔的南瓜种植者。迪尔目前居住在加拿大大西洋沿岸的新斯科舍省。迪尔的儿子丹尼说：“我们在半个小时以前接到了玛莎·斯图尔特电视台打来的一个电话……她已经确定要来参赛了。”

    Worried Martha Stewart fans can relax -- the ex-convict lifestyle guru will be rowing a giant 600 lb (270 kg) decorated pumpkin across a Canadian lake this weekend after all.

    Stewart had looked set to miss Sunday's charity pumpkin race in the Atlantic province of Nova Scotia because her conviction for lying about a stock trade meant she needed special permission to enter Canada.

    As a U.S. citizen, the founder of Martha Stewart Living Omnimedia Inc. would not need a visa, but those with criminal records must apply for a permit.

    Stewart initially said she doubted her trip would be approved in time but Canadian immigration officials, keen to avoid a public relations faux pas, contacted her office to say she would quickly get the permit if she applied for one.

    The charity race is organized by Howard Dill, a pumpkin farmer who lives in the town of Windsor, close to the Nova Scotia capital of Halifax. Canadian newspapers said he had once grown a pumpkin weighing 980 lb.

    "We're pretty happy. I mean, this was in the works for quite a while," Dill's son Danny told Reuters. A spokeswoman for Stewart's television show confirmed the star would attend.