Despite clear and mild weather, the s
truggle of two incoming tides made Saturday’s 111km Hawkesbury Canoe Classic more of a challenge than last year’s race, which was held in horrendous conditions, say two paddlers who set a record at this year’s event.
The 35th annual overnight paddle from Windsor to Brooklyn attracted 600 competitors, including 32 from The Armidale School, New England Girls’ School and PLC Armidale. Both competing for the second year, George Broun from TAS and NEGS student Lexie McCullagh paired up and took nearly an hour off the record in the Junior Mixed Rec2 class, finishing the gruelling event in a time of 14 hours 41 minutes and 44 seconds.
“The paddle was tougher due to strong tides, and dense fog near the end made it harder to navigate, so we ended up doing an extra four kilometres,” George said.
The pair agreed that more training might have made it less painful, but were pleased with the result.
“We worked together really well and we talked most of the way, which helped,” Lexie said. “It was a great experience but I think two times is enough for me now that I have broken a record.”
The pair were followed by Imogen Crothers and Olivia Pointing (NEGS), first in the JLadies LRec2 class (16:40), Sophie Dillon and Hannah Grigg (PLC), first in the JLadies Rec2 class (17:21) and Joss Guyer (TAS), first in the JRec1class. Alan Blunt (TAS) also finished in a single, having just got through the final checkpoint five minutes ahead of the cutoff time.
All but four of the 19 boats paddled by Armidale school students completed the course.
The paddlers were supported by a land crew of more than 40 parents, staff and friends.
Crew co-organiser Peter Hall said the event went well for the paddlers, largely due to good preparation involving regular training at Malpas Dam and two extended paddles on the Clarence River and Myall Lakes.
It was crew member Kel Hardingham’s 32nd Classic either as organiser or land crew.
“As part of our entry, we raised around $20,000 for The Arrow Foundation, supporting research into stem cell and bone marrow transplants for sufferers of leukaemia. The major portion of this came from a single donation from the Count Charitable Foundation through Roberts and Morrow, represented by paddlers Will Warrick and Sam Notley who respectively completed their seventh and fifth Hawkesburys,” Mr Hall said.
