Although the morning started off with heavy drizzle and cold conditions, the weather-gods favoured the brave by clearing up the skies just prior to the start of racing. This set the scene for a perfectly calm marathon champs for the duration and show-cased off the beautiful Lake Hood in Ashburton perfectly.
Although numbers were small the racing was of a good calibre with some close racing. The lead pack of Open/U23 men opened the gap early-on which was dominated strongly by Steven Armstrong throughout. Matt Loveridge in the U23 division, stayed close to Armstrong until the last portage where Steven showed his class by opening up the gap. Andrew Mowlem paddled well throughout finishing a couple of minutes behind Armstrong.
Quaid Thompson cleared out with the lead pack for the first lap but dropped behind them later in the race. His win in the U18 age group was convincing.
Rebecca Cole showed that she's done this more than once and was in a class of her own in the women's field winning the U23 division comfortably.
The U18 women's category was the most fiercely contested with the top three all finishing within a minute of each other, Shani Clarke taking out the win.
K2 racing takes place on Sunday and we're hoping for a repeat of the "smooth sailing" conditions of today.
RESULTS K1
Age Group | Name | Time | Place |
Tyros Men 6km | Thomas McGibbon | 29:19 | 1st |
Tyros Women 6km | Madison Garrett Ngarita McKenzie Cass Hetherington | 33.24 45.33 35.56 | 1st 2nd 3rd |
U14 Women 8km | Olivia Brett Briar Elliot | 38.26 40.39 | 1st 2nd |
U16 Women 12km | Greer Poulsen Tilly Pritchard | 1.14.59 1.17.43 | 1st 2nd |
U16 Men 12km | Jake Koekoemoer Dylan Neil-Hill | 1:00.51 1:09.50 | 1st 2nd |
U18 Women 16km | Shani Clarke Rochelle Austin Tess Allen Stefanie Crnecevic | 1:31.46 1:32.30 1:32.54 1:33.43 | 1st 2nd 3rd 4th |
U18 Men 20km | Quaid Thompson Daniel McDowell | 1:37.45 1:45.08 | 1st 2nd |
U23 Men 28km | Matt Loveridge Jed Aubrey | 2:12.22 2:29.15 | 1st 2nd |
U23 Women 24km | Rebecca Cole Rebecca Bailey | 2:01.53 2:26.55 | 1st 2nd |
Open Men 28km | Steven Armstrong Andrew Mowlem Paul Bourgeois Paul Russell Daniel Murtagh | 2:12.12 2:14.05 2:19.04 2:22.21 2:23.26 | 1st 2nd 3rd 4th 5th |
Masters Men 35-44 24km | Charles Nimmo | 2:06.34 | 1st |
Masters Men 45-54 24km | Phil Exeter Marshall Hollister-Jones Nick Weeby | 2:14.05 2:14.43 2:19.18 | 1st 2nd 3rd |
Masters Men 55+ 24km | Ben Bennett Kim Harker | 2:02.13 2:02.50 | 1st 2nd |
Multisport Women 16km | Linda Poulsen Kelly Mabbett | 1:37.21 1:40.29 | 1st 2nd |
Multisport Men 20km | Brendan Ross Bruce Garrett Dayle McKenzie | 1:48.33 1:51.09 2:04.10 | 1st 2nd 3rd |
On Sunday the racing was moved back up to Christchurch with the weather at Lake Hood cutting up severely in the forecast winds. The Avon, in contrast, was like a milk pond and with the small numbers racing K2s was ideal for a long narrow 4km circuit.
With only three age groups having two paddlers, the others were, with no compeition, out to complete their race in a good time.
The two Open Men's boats stayed side-by-side throughout the 20km and gave a good sprint for the finish-line, but apart from that the boats were fairly well spread across the course.
RESULTS K2
Age Group | Name | Time | Place |
Tyros Women 6km | Briar Elliot/Tilly Pritchard
Ngarita McKenzie /Madison Garret | 32.50
36.23
| 1st
2nd |
U14 Women 8km | Greer Poulsen/ Olivia Brett | 42.54 | 1st |
U18 Women 16km | Tess Allen/Shani Clark | 1:32.46 | 1st |
U18 Men 20km | Jake Kokoemoer/ Daniel McDowell | DNF | |
Open Men 20km | Matt Loveridge/ Paul Russell
James Feathery/ Steven Armstrong | 1:40.31
1:40.33 | 1st
2nd |
Masters Men 20km | Kim Harker/ Marshall Hollister-Jones
Bruce Stuart/Phil Exeter | 1:48.57
1:56.16 | 1st
2nd |
Masters Women 20km | Bianca Teague/ Linda Poulsen | 2:02.02 | 1st |
Recreational 16km | Carol & Nick Webby | 1:39.23 | 1st |