CANOE RACE ON AVON

Press, Volume CVI, Issue 31223, 22 November 1966, Page 18

CANOE RACE ON AVON

About 60 entries have been received for a 10mile canoe race down the Avon on December 3. The Christchurch Swimming Club and the Taylor’s Mistake Surf Club, the joint organisers of the event, have adopted strict safety precautions. All contestants will be required to wear life-jackets and the course will be patrolled by qualified surf lifesavers, both in the water and on the bank. The two clubs intend to make the race an annual event For the last two years other organisations have been responsible for it. This year’s race will start at the band rotunda near Manchester street and finish at the Pleasant Point Domain. The canoeists will be competing for more than £lOO in prize money, which will be given to a specified charity. The event will be divided into three age groups: under 16, 16 to 21, and over 21. There will be contests for singles and doubles crews in each category. The event will be conducted on a handicap basis, with prizes for the over-all winner and section winners.

The doubles winners for the last two years, G. Le Cren and R. Page, will not be together this year as Le Cren will be taking part in the national surf trials in Wellington. His place in the Page-built canoe will be taken by A. Lavender. Among other contestants will be C. Cook, winner of the singles in 1964; F. King, a

former “Mr New Zealand”; and W. Newton, J. Stead and A. Luton, all prominent surf skiers.

M. and B. Lewis, two leading junior swimmers, will form a doubles crew in the under-16 section.