Raft selection trial will be lit up
10 April 2015
THIS weekend floodlights will light up Tarawera River as rafting teams from around the country compete in selection races for the opportunity to represent New Zealand.
Kawerau District Council events and community activities team leader Lee Barton said the two days of racing at Waterhouse Street Reserve would determine the teams travelling to the R6 World Rafting Champs in Indonesia this November.
He said for the first time in Kawerau, and possibly New Zealand, the slalom races would take place under floodlights on Saturday night.
Slalom was one of four disciplines teams will compete in over the two days to collect points.
Mr Barton said the time trial sprint, worth 100 points, began at midday on Saturday, followed by head to head racing at 2pm, worth 200 points.
After a break for slalom practice at 4pm the official slalom races run from 6pm to 9pm, worth 300 points to each team’s overall score.
The second day of racing on April 12 would begin at 10.30am and host the final discipline, down river, worth 400 points.
A course on the Rangitaiki River was originally organised to host the final event but low river levels put this in doubt.
The race director will make a decision today, with Tarawera River as the reserve venue.
New Zealand Rivers Association and selections race director Tim Marshall said he was “looking forward to returning to Kawerau, which provides a world class slalom course that will be under lights this year”.
Sorce: Whakatane Beacon