Woronora River residents are in for a colourful spectacle this Saturday, when more than 200 paddlers take part in the third round of Paddle NSW’s 2018 Marathon Series.
Hosted by the Sutherland Shire Canoe Club, the event is being contested over a 10km loop course from Burnum Burnum Reserve through Woronora, to a turn 5km upstream.
Good viewing of the action is available from the waterfront at Burnum Burnum or the coffee shop/park on the Menai side of the bridge.
For the last two years this has been the biggest event on the NSW paddling calendar – but that means parking is difficult at the reserve, and local residents wanting to launch their own boats would be better to do so from Bonnet Bay.
There will be safety boats on the course ensuring all boat owners observe the river’s speed limits during the event.
The default marathon distance is 20km, or two laps of the course, but there are shorter options to encourage paddlers of every age and ability.
They have the choice of covering 15km, 10km or 5km.
Paddlers are expected to start arriving at the Reserve from around 7am, with the race briefing at 10am and the first paddlers on the water at 10.45am.
The main event starts at 11, with the fastest paddlers likely to complete the 20km in around 90 minutes.
One paddler who will be missing from this weekend’s action is former club president Alan Voges, who died late last month aged 71.
Alan was a popular and highly respected member of the club. He was a regular competitor in events at club and state level, and his cheerful personality and readiness to encourage and assist anyone who needed help with the sport will be missed.
The Sutherland Shire Canoe Club extends its deepest sympathies to Alan’s wife Gillian, and their children Deborah, Steven and Paul and their families.