Coaching and racing camp for canoeists

Press, 21 February 1986, Page 14

Coaching and racing camp for canoeists

New Zealand canoeists had outstanding success in the flatwater sprint events at the Los Angeles Olympics. But in the far-flung reaches of Canterbury’s many waterways, their canoeing cousins of the whitewater breed are quietly building up a similar standard of excellence. Canoeists from the four Christchurch clubs will spend this week-end at a coaching and racing camp at the Upper Hurunui River on the Lake Sumner road. Coaching tomorrow will precede a down river race at 4 p.m. and a slalom event, starting at 10 a.m. on Sunday. Two types of events are run on whitewater. One is the slalom, in which paddlers must negotiate a short section of rapids over which up to 25 pairs of poles or “gates” are suspended. Each contestant is timed, and penalties are added to the time for missing a gate or touching a pole.

The other event is the down river race, which is a direct paddle down a longer stretch of river of 5 to 7km, usually containing extensive rapids. Contestants are started at 30s intervals and the fastest time wins. These races are typically shorter, but are held bn more difficult water than the Coast-to-Coast and similar long distance events.

Whitewater competitions are hugely popular in Europe, with the main events receiving live coverage on television

over three days in much the same fashion as cricket in New Zealand. As with a number of specialist sports in this country, whitewater canoeing does not receive much public attention. But New Zealand rivers are the envy of Australian and European canoeists. In spite of the cost of travel, New Zealand produced the two top placegetters in both slalom and down-river racing in England last year. Donald Johnstone, of Palmerston North, beat the world champion, Richard Fox, twice, and Andrew Martin, of Taranaki, is the current champion downriver racer. lan Ferguson is no slouch in the whitewater events, either, as television viewers will recall in the Lowenbrau Rapid racing series last year. The four Christchurch

canoe clubs, Arawa, Christchurch, Whitewater and University, have combined their resources and have organised this slalom and down river racing week-end to get whitewater events under way in Canterbury. Coaching of novices will be carried out on the course by Mick Hopkinson, a top English canoeist ; and veteran of many X . kayak deScents of major * world rivers, now resident in ' Christchurch. The organisers hope to attract secondary school canoeists and the triathlon pad- ; dlers , to whitewater * events. i

Further events are ; planned, with the next being a down river race ’ from Waiau Ferry Bridge, < near Hanmer Springs, to Leslie Hills bridge, a distance of about 18km, on April 13, starting at noon. *