Taumarunui Hotel Whanganui Descent

The Whanganui Descent was a kayak race Started in the early 1980s by the Upper Hut Canoe Club.

The race went into recess from 1994 until 1997 when local kayaker Ben Fouhy and his parents revived the event. After he became more successful as a kayaker and spent more time overseas he found it increasingly difficult to continue organising the event.

In 2002 he approached the Taumarunui Multi Sport Committee, organisers of the Kururau Krusher and asked them if they would take over organising the race.

The Taumarunui Multi Sport Committee are a small group of volunteers who spend a great deal of time and effort in organising the Kururau Krusher, but they felt they did not want to see kayakers loose the chance of racing on ouch a mighty river so they decided to take over the race.

The Event
There is a Short course and a long course to accommodate all kayakers. The Short course race Starts at Cherry Grove in Taumarunui and ends 22km later at Ohinepane.

The long course is a 57 k paddle from Cherry Grove in Taumarunui to Whakahora. Twenty two kilometres down the River at Ohinepane is a portage where competitors carry their kayaks up a sort sharp circular track and back down to the river. They then continue on to the finish at Whakahora

The Categories
There are five categories in the race:

Individual Men
Individual Women
Veteran Men
Veteran Women
Secondary Schools

The Prize Money

The prize money for the short course for all categories is

First Place $130
Second Place $75
Third Place $50

The prize money for the long course for all categories is

First Place $300
Second Place $200
Third Place $100

The total prize money is $4375.00

For further race details please contact: Event Chairman Ray Wright
Ph 07 8966908
Fx 07 8966908

Event listed by godfreyh

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