NZ Marathon Kayak Champs May 29/30

Well just come back from the Price Waterhouse Coopers NZ Marathon Champs, which was organised by Bianca Teague and ably assisted by Club mates from the Arawa Canoe Club in Christchurch, and local Paul Bourgeois. The event was run from the well laid out Wairau Rowing Club which was newly built in 2006.

Paddlers came from Hawkes Bay, Wanganui, Wellington (10) Marlborough, Christchurch, Dunedin and Invercargill. Auckland has completely fallen off the radar and one would hope that the National Kayaking Body doesn't decide to self centre itself up to Auckland in the near future when the support for the majority of good kayaking races around the Country appears to lie everywhere but Auckland.

The river was in great nick, with a bit of flow meaning that cutting corners and switching back from one side of the river to the other and keeping out of the main flow heading upstream, was part of a good strategy for surviving this course and not bonking short of the finish line.

The portages were tricky on exit and re entry, and it was fair to say that it was as slippery as a Politician under foot producing heaps of spills both on land and the boat remounts on the water.

A big thanks again to Paul and Lisa Bourgeois for shuttling me from the Ferry and accommodation and an awesome meal and wines from Spy Valley Winery, where Paul is the winemaker.

Paul helped out in a big way assisting the Arawa Club with logistics around the venue and paid the price when his sterling work rate pre race produced a spill and he landed on his tailbone just before the race, on the water he battled away to get to 3rd in the Open Mens but faded with the discomfort of this injury on the 3rd lap of 5, and faded back to 4th place.

Photos on http://www.marlboroughmultisport.co.nz/ Courtesy of Mark Grammer and Andrea Koorey.

Saturdays results:

Multisport Open 18km (no portages)
Les Morris (Wairarapa Multisports) 1:35:00
Michael Pike (Marlborough Multisports) 1:38:25
Brian Grace (Mana) 1:46:41
K1 Open Men 30km
Ben Keys (Arawa) 2:28:31
Hadyn Lockie (Arawa) 2:32:26
Mike Mead (Christchurch)) 2:32:29
Paul Bourgeois (Marlborough Multisport Club) 2:34:45
K1 Open Women 24km
Marianne Archer (Mana) 2:07:40
Carla Laughton (Arawa) 2:11:54
Bianca Teague (Arawa) 2:18:22
K1 U23 Men 30km
Sam Newlands (Bay of Plenty) 2:30:01
William Wilkins (Hawkes Bay) 2:34:30
Philip Pirie (Otago) 2:43:41
Daniel Peacocke (Otago) DNF
K1 U19 Men 24km
Jason Anderson (Wanganui) 2:03:22
Ryan Quickenden (Arawa) 2:09:33
Isaac Giesen (Arawa) 2:22:30
K1 Masters Men 24km
Glenn Muirhead (Mana) 1:58:50
Chester Burt (Welly Paddlers) 2:09:22
Glenn Menzies (Arawa) 2:14:37
Terry Newlands (Bay of Plenty) 2:24:10
K1 U23 Women 18km
Kayla Imrie (Mana) 1:47:32
Kate Johnston (Arawa) 1:47:33
Sophia Dybdahl (Mana) DNF
K1 U17 Women 15km
Jennyfer Fidow (Arawa) 1:31:06
Hannah Altman (Mana) 1:39:23

Next Years Marathon Kayak Champs will be hosted by the Bay Of Plenty Kayak Club, the venue is likely to be on the Wairoa River in Tauranga? It will be Held in April so Paddlers will look forward to a better flow of events leading up to this and slightly warmer weather.

Well done with the change of month, back to where it used to be, you've got a big tick from me!