NZ champ K4 crew at Spring River Flatwater Trophy Challenge

29 October 2103

NZ champ K4 crew fancy their chances in the Spring River Flatwater Trophy Challenge

The New Zealand K4 kayak champions reckon they will give the dragon boaters, rowers and waka paddlers a run for their money at the Spring River Festival inter-code regatta at Kerrs Reach on Saturday.

Held over 350m the crews will face off initially in heats to establish their handicaps. The fastest crews will then race for the coveted Spring River Flatwater Challenge Trophy.

This is all part of the Spring River Festival to be opened at Kerrs Reach by Mayor Lianne Dalziel at 9:30am on Saturday 2 November and organised by Avon-Otakaro Network (AvON), the group advocating for the Avon River red zone to become a river park and reserve.

The festival will follow the journey downstream of the specially carved festival waka huia. Starting at Barbadoes St bridge at 7:30am, the journey will start by foot then transfer to waka at Gayhurst Bridge to arrive at Kerrs Reach for the opening.

After the regatta at midday the waka huia will travel via flotilla downstream to Owles Terrace to arrive there by 12:30pm. It will then be carried by foot to New Brighton Mall accompanied by the Natural Magic Ukulele Pirates.

By this stage New Brighton will be buzzing with excitement and colour. The carnival and market will be in full swing, with sand-painting on the beach and a kite fest and skate fest to keep everyone entertained.

Once the pirate band arrives it will take the stage to kick off the free family concert on the waterfront green at 1pm. Among the many acts are headliners Stone Cold Chillers and 1 Drop Nation.

Meanwhile at 2pm out on the water there will be a Stand Up Paddle Board race around the pier. And at 4:30pm Pleasant Point Yacht Club will be holding sailing races from their container base at South Brighton Reserve.

In the evening the Pierside will host a concert to keep things rocking.

“Its time to celebrate the potential of the lower Avon-Otakaro as the playground of the city!” says Evan Smith Co-Chair of AvON. “Let's recognise the importance of the river to the life of the city and restore it to its natural health.”

Information stalls at the New Brighton market include ones by Environment Canterbury on the Natural Environment Recovery Plan, and by Forest and Bird, Coastal Pathway and of course AvON.

The festival has received generous sponsorship from Canterbury Community Trust and from Wainoni Pak’nSave and Stanmore New World.

Programme

7:30am: O-Tautahi/Cambridge Green - Blessing of the waka huia and River Walk with River of Life

9:20am: Kerrs Reach - Arrival of the waka

9:30am: Kerrs Reach - Grand Opening with the Mayor Lianne Dalziel

9:40am: Kerrs Reach - Multi-Code Spring River Challenge Regatta: dragon boats, waka, rowing boats and kayaks. (Some heats start at 8:30am)

11:45am: Kerrs Reach - Flotilla heads downstream with waka huia

12:30pm: Owles Terrace - Waka huia arrives by river and then travels by foot through the carnival market to the waterfront accompanied by the Natural Magic Ukulele Pirates

10am – 2pm: New Brighton Mall - Carnival & Market

From Midday: New Brighton Water Front - Sand Painting, Kite Fest, Skate fest

1pm: New Brighton Water Front - Family Concert featuring Natural Magic Ukulele Pirates, One Drop Nation and Stone Cold Chillers

2pm: New Brighton Beach - Stand Up Paddle Board Race around the Pier

4:30pm: South Brighton Reserve - Yacht racing with Pleasant Point Yacht Club

8:30pm: Pierside Bar & Restaurant - Evening Concert

AvON is a not-for-profit group. Its vision is to “establish a community-driven science-informed living memorial to rejuvenate and nurture the long-term environmental, economic, community and spiritual wellbeing of the eastern suburbs and of those living throughout greater Christchurch. Our aim is to turn a tragedy into an opportunity, a polluted drain into a vibrant river system, and exhaustion and despair into hope and inspiration.”
www.springriver.org.nz
www.avon.org.nz

ENDS

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