5-8 Jan 2023 Eildon Festival of Paddling
- Downriver Sprints 8.30 ARE. Saturday 7/1/23
- Downriver .3.5km Classic 4.00pm Saturday 7/1/23
- Head to Head Creek Boat Race 8:00am Sunday 8/01/2023
- Bridge to bridge river race 20 km (Thornton to Alexandra). 11:30 am Sunday, 8/01/23
- Whitewater skills
- Come & trys ( whitewater, pack rafts, dr etc )
Each paddler must register (if you are paddling a double, both paddlers must enter)
Wearing of an approved life jacket/PFD (personal flotation device) is mandatory for all events.
A helmet is mandatory for events 1, 2 & 3 and is recommended for event 4.”
Entry fees will be $20 each race or $50 for the whole weekend (4 races).
Non Paddle Australian members $20
Entry`s close on Friday 30th December: https://www.webscorer.com/register?raceid=299335
Highlights include
- Coaching and a recce trip on Sat and practice at blue gums.
- Running the blue gums rapids as part of the festival
- Flat and fast runs with constant bends [no rapids] – Lovely scenery
- On water safety at S bend and Blue Gums rapid (downriver race)
Provisional list of events
- Thursday 5/01/2023 Skills Training throughout the day around Pumpkins Rapid and Blue Gums Rapid or a reconnaissance Peter.
- Friday 6/01/2023 Skills Training throughout the day around Pumpkins Rapid and Blue Gums Rapid
- Saturday morning 7/01/2023 – Meet at the boat ramp below Pumpkins Rapid for briefing at 8.30am with a view to commencing first DR Sprint runs at 9.00am Best of 3 Sprint runs to count.
- 10.30am Kids whitewater tech training for kids
- 12pm whitewater surf moves tech for adults
- 2.00pm kids start to surf tech session
- Saturday afternoon 7/01/2023 Meet at car park just below the smaller Eildon Dam at 3.30pm for a briefing on the DR classic race with commencement at 4.00pm
- 5pm free training / paddling on rapid / twilight session
- 5pm – jousting match (in the eddy near the winery) kids and adults. Prizes on offer
- Sunday morning 8/01/2023 Head to Head Creek Boat Race through the Blue Gums Rapid – Meet at the Boat Ramp just above the Rapid for an 8.00am start.
- Come and Try Kayaks by Canoes + and Kayak Factory Direct throughout the morning with Head to Head Creek Boat Race.
- 9am Kids ball race on pumpkins rapid – come and win some great prizes free entry
- Sunday morning/afternoon 8/01/2023 Bridge to Bridge River Race – Thornton to Alexandria. 11.30 briefing Meet in the car park just above the bridge at Thornton for a briefing
To be confirmed
Classes
Male, female & mixed
Classes
Single kayak
Double kayak
Single canoe
Double canoe – Include partner name
Age groups: u18/u23/open/v35/v45/v55/v65
Further details
Peter Mcintyre 0409419922 peterm@pmaccountingsolutions.com.au
Downriver Championships
These downriver (not wildwater) events will include a 3km Classic and 2 sprint events. it is open to all craft (wildwater ,tk1,tk2, sk1, sea kayaks, river boats ski’s, canoes, SIT, SUPS), a great opportunity to paddle on the river and a great warmup to the Bridge to Bridge event
Briefing below the OEG camp, Back Eildon Road, Eildon
Mandatory Safety Equipment: PFD, helmet, footwear, boat buoyancy
Classic event : Canoe Launch Ramp below Pondage Gates at the.(~3km) finishing at the boat ramp above the main wave.
Sprints will be the best of 3 events starting at the top pumpkins and finishing at the boat ramp above the main wave
Course is fast flowing river with a few short sections of Grade 1/2 rapids, safety boats/personnel will be on hand at rapids, opportunity for coaching prior to the events.
Downriver Classic Course
You enter the Goulburn River downstream of the Lower Pondage Gates at the Canoe Launch Ramp. The Goulburn River from below the Thornton Pondage to Thornton is graded with some sections of whitewater of grade 1 and grade 2. The river speed and volume varies greatly depending on the volume of water release from the Thornton Pondage. Paddle times will vary from 10mins for elite to up to 30MINs for competitors in slower boats. Start Area, Parking, Drop off Zone, Drop off zone, is for drop off only, do not park there. Parking is available only a couple of 100m away on Riverside Dv. Access to the BlueGums Rapid is through the caravan park. River Safety Paddlers will station here.
Heat to head creek boat race
Head to head creek racing is one of the most intense races, where you and your friends go head to head in a whitewater downriver event.
- Time trials will be held to rank athletes for the first part of the competition.
- Then there will be quarter finals leading to head to head finals
- The chief official will provide further advice at the briefing and close of entries
- Only mass produced boats are permitted.
Measurements all types of K1 Minimum length 2.05 m Maximum length 2.75 m
2019_canoe_slalom_competition_rules_-_chapter_16_2021.pdf (canoeicf.com)
Bridge to bridge Paddle
What is it?
- A 20km river race from Thornton to Alexandra, on Sunday 8th January finishing at the boat ramp by the Maroondah Highway over the Goulburn River.
- It is a beautiful and scenic section of the Goulburn River perfect for kayaks, skis and canoes.
- A lovely fast river with most people taking less about 1.20
- It is a great section of river and will be an awesome weekend of paddling!!!
