About Us  News  Disciplines  Calendar  Events  High Performance  Membership  Education  Insurance  Links  Search

 

Canoeists set for NSW marathon


Michael Leverret leads at first portage
Australian Canoeing , Saturday, 1 May 2004

AROUND 150 boats will be on Broughton Creek tomorrow to contest another round of the NSW Canoe Winter Marathon Series. Competitors from across the State will converge on Berry for the event, which will see the open competitors complete a 24 kilometre marathon from the Broughton Creek boat ramp to the bridge on Bolong Road and return. The event is being hosted by the Illawarra Canoe Club.

AROUND 150 boats will be on Broughton Creek tomorrow to contest another round of the NSW Canoe Winter Marathon Series.

Competitors from across the State will converge on Berry for the event, which will see the open competitors complete a 24 kilometre marathon from the Broughton Creek boat ramp to the bridge on Bolong Road and return.

The event is being hosted by the Illawarra Canoe Club.

Spokesperson Peter Sigal, who will compete in the TK2 section with his wife Cara, said the event is an integral part of the NSW series.

'Tomorrow's event will attract some quality paddlers,' he said.

'We are expecting a quality field on entrants over a number of divisions.

'The event is not just restricted to kayaks, it is open to canoes, wave skis, sea kayaks, virtually anything competitors can paddle - mind you the leading guys will be racing the Olympic class K1s.'

Heading up the open field, who will cover the 24km course, is ex-British Open champion Ian Trimble, who now competes for the Illawarra Club.

'Ian is a real talent and will take a bit of beating,' Sigal said.

'A host of local competitors from the Shoalhaven will also be taking part.'

There are a number of categories for this weekend's event.

The open event will cover the 24km marathon course, the juniors will race over a 10km course and the veterans over/65 will cover 15km.

'The event is open to everyone from juniors through to super veterans' Mr Sigal said.

'The Illawarra Club chooses to host the event here in Berry because Broughton Creek provides a great course and is one of the best settings for the event anywhere in the State.'

Entries will be taken at the Broughton Creek boat ramp from 9am tomorrow, with a race briefing at 10.30am.

Anyone can enter the event, but if you aren't affiliated with NSW Canoeing an additional insurance fee to take part in the event is applicable.

Tomorrow's race will start at 11am with the leading competitors expected to cover the course in a little over one and a half hours.

Presentations will be held for the event at about 1.30pm at the boat ramp.

The event will be used by a number of competitors as a warm up event for the State Championships which will be held later in the year at the Olympic Regatta Centre at Penrith.