Today, the Wairoa River in the Kaimai Range is the scene of a feast of kayak racing!

The Kaimai Canoe Club is hosting its Wairoa Race today Sunday, February 18, offering three events for people to enter.

Organiser Joe Anderson says in the upper river there will be an Extreme Race where kayakers race two-at-a-time in a head-to-head knockout competition on the well-known and much feared Roller Coaster Rapid.  

“Prior to the head-to-head, competitors race a time trial down the ‘Mothers Nightmare’ to ‘Washing Machine’ section, to place them in their head-to-head heats.”

On the lower Slalom Gorge section, there will be a slalom race, with 40 competitors lining up to race in K1 – a two-bladed paddle – and C1 – a single-blade, kneeling in the canoe ­­– categories.

Joe says competitors have come from Auckland, Hamilton, Matamata, Hawke’s Bay and – of course –Tauranga.  

“Jaimee Wilson will be the one to watch in the Women’s K1 after placing fourth in the recent NZ Open, and look out for Rosie Rex in the Women’s C1.

“Bay of Plenty boy Ben Pilbrow will have tough competition from Charlie Evans of Hawke’s Bay in the Men’s K1 – and the Men’s C1 could be anyone’s race!”

Joe says the conventional slalom race will be followed by a Kayak Cross race.

“This is four boats head-to-head in a knockout competition.

"This is a new sport and a contact sport and will debut in the Olympics in Paris later this year.”

For more information on Sunday’s racing, see: https://www.sporty.co.nz/kaimaicanoeclub or search ‘Kaimai Canoe Club’ on Facebook.