Fresh Hands for "The Motorway Classic" and The Foxton Loop Race"

Following the 2023 Edition of  'The Motorway Classic" and "The Foxton Loop Race" Welly Paddlers have decided to pass these Events onto fresh sets of hands.

We Organised the Motorway Classic for 15 years and The Foxton Loop for 5 years.

Shane Ross and the Mana Kayak Club now Organise The Motorway Classic 

Daniel Cudby and the Foxton Surf Life Saving Club now Organise The Foxton Loop Race.

For more details on the above view the Event calendar on the left had side of this page.

Both "Welly Paddlers" and "Welly Paddlers Group" Facebook pages are still active and host regular Event and Paddler updates on various activities.

2023 Foxton Loop - Briefing notes

·         As soon as you arrive at the Event go and check in at Registration

·         PFD’s save lives please wear one.

·         The Manawatū River Navigation bylaws apply to all craft on the water -https://www.horizons.govt.nz/flood-emergency-management/river-safety

·        The nuts and bolts are :

·         Waterways work opposite to roads. Basically on the road you travel on the left.....and on waterways we travel on the right.

·         To avoid a head on collision with any other paddle craft or motorboat we always veer off to the right.  

·         ALL PADDLERS MUST READ ALL THE EVENT DETAIL ON www.wellypaddlers.blogspot.com

·         High tide is at 12:10 pm at the Manawatū River mouth

·         The weather forecast is for 14 degrees C – Northerly 11 kmh - 20 kmh we may just avoid a few forecast showers (which is Levin’s Forecast) the Palmerston North Forecast light showers don’t arrive until around 2 pm

·         Please stay close to the start line 3 minutes prior to your start time

·         Give each other plenty of space at the start. Starting on the 2^nd , 3^rd or 4^th  row at the start is an advantage as you get to ride some else’s wash !

·         Sharlene is on a loud hailer calling start groups up. Each group will get a 2 minute warning - 1 minute warning - 30 seconds - Countdown - 3, 2, 1 - LOUD AIRHORN IS GO

·         If you capsize your craft - turn it upright – swim it to the shoreline empty out - get back in and carry on to the finish

·         Enjoy, encourage and support your fellow paddlers out on the water

·         When you finish, remember to keep clear of other paddlers - once off the water get changed quickly

·         We will kick off the Prize giving at 2.40 pm or within 10 minutes of the last Paddler finishing

·         Please bear in mind so many people have travelled long distances to get to the Event and have long drives home…….so think of them and move quickly to the Spot prize giving.

·         LOCK YOUR VEHICLES – hide all items from public view – This should be done at all Events, it’s about valuing your gear and avoiding the opportunity for it to go missing.

·         The Manawatū Coastguard jet skis will be out on the 12 km course monitoring craft

·         Chester will be on a surf ski monitoring the short courses

BELOW ARE THE EVENT RUN & START TIMES

10:30 - 12:10 Registration

12:20 - 12 km All Recreational

12:25 - 12 km W 6 & W 12

12:27 - 12 km All V 1, W 1 & W 2 (Female & Male) 

12:29 - 12 km Female single / double kayak & surf ski

12:31 - 12 km Male single / double kayak & surf ski

12:33 - 3 km / 6 km All craft

The 32nd annual Foxton Loop Race - Sunday August 20

 

This year the Event venue is again taking place on the Te Awahou Riverside reserve, Harbour Street, Foxton based around the boat ramp area. 

The FLR is best held on the highest Spring tide each year which has generally been the third weekend in August this is to provide the maximum depth possible at the shallow, narrow end of the Matakarapa Island Loop

 

               Click on any photo to enlarge

LONG COURSE OPTION

                          Manawatu course - 12 km 

This is our go to "out and back" course when the narrow section of the loop is completely blocked with weed.

This course is wide and deep with all the space in the world for waka ama singles, doubles and sixes.

Kayakers can choose this course or the Matakarapa course as their long course option

Paddle 5 km out the wide section of the river loop, turn left out onto the main Manawatu River. Head up river 1km then turn from right to left around the first of the three small islands in the river.

Head directly back to the finish the same way.

• The start line is at the yellow buoy with an orange flag opposite Te Awahou Nieuwe Stroom.
• The finish line is at the boat ramp the finish line buoy is pink with an orange flag

click on any photo to enlarge

12 km course - start at yellow buoy - finish at the boatramp (pink buoy0

Close up Manawatu River section

Close up of 12 km course turn

Click on any photo to enlarge

Long course start and finish points marked below

SHORT COURSE OPTIONS 

                 

Te Awahou courses - choose either 6 km or 3 km

As pictured below you can either choose the 1 lap (3.5 km option) or the 2 lap (7 km option) 

This course is really sheltered and a great option for all comers, juniors, racers and SUP's or anyone who would just like to be part of the event on limited training. As with everyone paddling please read down to the bottom of this page to check what your responsibilities are as a paddler at this Event. 

                          Click on any photo to enlarge

Start line - indicated by yellow flag above

finish shute - indicated by aqua coloured arrow

Finish line - indicated by red flag above

3 km course

• The start line is opposite Te Awahou Nieuwe Stroom
• Turn around the top buoy not far from Lady's mile
• The short course course turns are yellow buoys with orange flags - the turns are from right to left - the buoys always being on your left hand side when turning
• On the homeward leg go straight past the start buoy to the finish buoy at the boat ramp this buoy is pink with an orange flag

6 km course

• The start line is opposite Te Awahou Nieuwe Stroom
• Turn around the top buoy not far from Lady's mile
• Turn around the start buoy - for lap 2
• Turn around the top buoy not far from Lady's mile
• The short course course turns are yellow buoys with orange flags - the turns are from right to left - the buoys always being on your left hand side when turning 
• On the homeward leg go straight past the start buoy to the finish buoy at the boat ramp this buoy is pink with an orange flag

Click on any photo to enlarge

NOTE : The narrower blue line indicates the finish line shute.... where the blue line widens this is the start point and also the turn point for the 7 km course

Below are the buoys as described above

NAVIGATION AROUND ALL COURSES

Every paddler needs to comply with the Navigation bylaws. https://www.horizons.govt.nz/flood-emergency-management/river-safety

This Event is approved by the Harbour Master at The Horizons Regional Council.

The nuts and bolts are :

Waterways work opposite to roads. Basically on the road you travel on the left,.....and on waterways we travel on the right.

To avoid a head on collision with any other paddle craft or motorboat we always veer off to the right

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Entries only accepted by email with payment by online banking :

Every entry received, will be responded with an email back confirming your entry.

- wellypaddlers@gmail.com

- Welly Paddlers Kiwibank - 389016 0568806 02

- Any questions about entries email us or phone Chester 022 6455 820

NOTE : ENTRIES CLOSE FRIDAY AUGUST 18  AT 7 PM - that includes the entry fee being paid by 7 pm as well :-)

Please use your "Surname" or "Team name" in one of the "online banking reference boxes" when making your payment.

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When entering by email please give us the following detail.

1.Your name or Team name 

2. Your cellphone number

3. Type of craft..... K1, W1, VI (rudderless) W6, W 12, K2, W2, multisport kayak, adventure racing double, surf ski, sea kayak, double surf ski, double kayak, sea kayak, surf canoe, SUP or knee board etc.etc

4. Are you entering the 3km / 6km /  12 km recreational / 12 km

5. Female / Male / Mixed

6. Classifications : Please supply us with your date of birth......or average age if you're in a Team boat. 

7. Town / City

Entry Fess :

Long courses :

$35 singles

$50 doubles

$70 surf canoes

$90 W6's

$140 W12

Long course : under 19 and over 60 ( and in a single craft ) take 50% off the above

Short courses :

All single craft $20

Here are our Event run times :

The Event Briefing will be a written viewable briefing here - https://www.facebook.com/WellyPaddlers this will be posted by 3 pm the day before the event.

10:30 - 12:10 Registration

12:20 - 12 km All Recreational

12:25 - 12 km W 6 & W 12

12:27 - 12 km All V 1, W 1 & W 2 (Female & Male)  

12:29 - 12 km Female single / double kayak & surf ski

12:31 - 12 km Male single / double kayak & surf ski

12:33 - 3 km / 6 km All craft

2:40 pm - 3 pm Event Spot prize giving

The Event is open to all paddle craft (sorry no rowing craft)

* August 17 - We have just ammended the start times based on current entries 24 hours out from entry close off *

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All paddlers must wear a PFD, all kayaks must use spray skirts, all waka ama must carry a bailer/s (unless on a sit on top waka)

Every paddler needs to take personal responsibility for their own health and wellbeing and make good decisions in what they do on the water, and what clothing they choose to wear on the day. 

Every paddler and crew, if they capsize, must be able to self rescue themselves by remounting their craft or by swimming to the shore quickly, emptying out and continuing through to the finish. 

It must be emphasised that it's all about being prepared and to practice, practice, practice to keep your skill sets up. Please do not expect to come along and to "wing it on the day" this approach is likely to leave you ill prepared and places unnecessary risk on yourself.

Every Paddler or in the case of a double - four - six or 12 person craft (the Team Captain) must check into registration immediately when you arrive on site  

Below - our Event numbers - they are to be placed on the left side front area of your craft within 1 metre from the bow.

*** We recycle***

If you have an existing Welly Paddlers event number from the previous "Foxton Loop Race" or "The Motorway Classic" please let us know this Event number when you enter and we will check this off against our master list of numbers. 

If you sell your craft the number peels off easily and is able to placed on your new craft.

There will be 3 x Event updates on the https://www.facebook.com/WellyPaddlers Facebook page on the Monday, Wednesday, Thursday within the 6 days leading up to the Event......these posts will show weather and tide details and any course changes, which may be dictated by the weather forecasting or hazards. 

We will post the briefing notes by 3 pm the day before the Event.

 2 x Manawatu Coastguard jet skis will monitor the long course while Chester will monitor the short course on a surf ski. and follow the final groups of paddlers to the finish, taking over from the Coastguard. 

We use Marine Channel VHF 60 for the Event.

Our Emergency contact number on the day is 027 4581 005.

                   Boat ramp Event Venue location

       Looking to the right of the boat ramp

Please note the photos below.

 

Below is the brand new wider start area that has been redeveloped on the Te Awahou Riverside Reserve.

At this point we will place 1 x yellow buoy for the starts.....which will also serve as the turn for the second lap of the (7 km) short course

NOTE : The finish for all courses is back at the boat ramp.

The start is directly opposite Te Awahou Nieuwe Stroom pictured below

 

The start is directly opposite Te Awahou Nieuwe Stroom pictured above

 

PUBLIC TOILETS :

The nearest Public Toilets to the event are pictured below. This is a 300 metre walk from the Registration Area. 

There are also toilets at Te Awahou Nieuwe Stroom, Museum - which is directly across from the start line.

The red hatched area below is a no parking area.....we need this as a safe clear pathway for craft to enter and exit the boat ramp. It is also a public boat ramp and needs to remain clear at all times.

The Blue Square is the Registration Area

The White circle with the cross is where the spot prizegiving will take place - or like last year it may well take place around the craft staging area.

                Click on any photo to enlarge

IT'S NOW 10 FOR 10.......CRAFT CLEANING BETWEEN WATERWAYS

*** The current information from MPI below..... in regards to not carrying any noxious bugs or weed between your local waterway and the Foxton waterway - Read detail in photo below ***

                            click on any photo to enlarge