The lifeline of Mid Canterbury’s agricultural land was a lifeline for race organisers of The Salmon Run Rakaia event, hit by raging river conditions.
The flow in the Rakaia River was too high for the kayak leg of the multi-sport event and organisers resorted to Plan B using the Rangitata Diversion Race (RDR).
It was a well-managed affair with a section of the RDR shut down for the 11km section and kayak professionals on site.
Rangitata Diversion Race Management Ltd (RDRML) chief executive Tony McCormick said it was the first time the water body had been used for the fundraising event, and it had involved plenty of planning prior to race day.
He said any use of the RDR required RDRML approval and, in this instance, included the shutdown of the “whole bottom end of the RDR for the duration of the event”.
“Manawa Energy agreed to shut down their small hydro generation facility at Highbank and BCI isolated all their pumps and offtakes from the race for the morning of the event,” he said.
The precaution was deemed necessary to make the race on October 11 was as safe as possible.
“The organisers contacted us at the start of September about being their Plan B and I was able to outline the sort of planning information we would need from them,” McCormick said.
The event involved a 30.5km bike ride, 11km kayak on the RDR, a 22.5km bike and 7.5km run.
Those plans “cranked it up a gear” about a week out from the event when it was clear the weather was not looking ideal. McCormick said on the day he was impressed – and comfortable – with the management of the event.
It was led by race director Kyle Gray.
There were plenty of assistants, kayak professionals overseeing this part of the event, formal traffic management, and competent competitors, McCormick said.
The kayak leg included plenty of excitement – on and off the water – as it was the first time being used for the Salmon Run.
“Conditions were trying for the competitors who had hammered into the wind on their 30km bike ride up the plains from Rakaia Domain to start the 11km paddle on the race,” McCormick said.
“They had tail and cross winds as they headed up the canal for 5.5km before turning around with slightly better conditions back.”
However, the return bike ride “down country with a tailwind, looked an absolute blast”.
