Prepare yourself for the big event
Hawkesbury Canoe Classic
The Hawkesbury Canoe Classic is on again this year, on the evening of the 24th October.
Much discussion has resulted from the selection of this date, however there have been several contributing factors which mean there are no alternatives. The following two weeks, and the preceding weeks have other events, either on the waterway or of substantial general interest, which would drastically affect either the ability of the HCC to take place, or the numbers of entries. On one alternative weekend, the entire communications system is unavailable to the organisers, another is the ‘Gong’ bike ride, and a powerboat event is happening on another. It appears that for future events, the last weekend in October will be allocated to the HCC, and competitors will have to take conditions as they find them.
This year’s event, as was the case last year, will be run in darkness without assistance from the moonlight. All possible steps will be taken to ensure that obstacles and structures will be illuminated with red cyalume sticks and other means.
In another setback for the HCC, the Dargle landcrew base is not supporting the HCC, due to increasing unauthorised access by paddlers, most specifically training for this event. The rights of landowners should be respected all along the river, and several other access points have been placed in similar jeopardy through thoughtless behaviour by paddlers.
It is in the interests of all paddlers that this premier event on the paddling calendar continue into the future, as it provides a special focus for the many who train long and hard through winter. We must thank the organising committee for their persistence in pushing through this major hurdle, as word has it they came ‘this close’ to abandoning the event this year. Please support them through these difficult times.
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