Ben paddles in the Hawkesbury Canoe Classic 2017

Ben and father Steve from Fairfield Canoe Club in VIC paddled as a team on their new Wenonah US Pro boat yesterday in the 41st Hawkesbury Canoe Classic. The race consists of 111km from Windsor to Mooney Mooney and if that wasn’t hard enough, they started at 4.40pm and paddled overnight. With only the gps light and the moonlight to clear the way while paddling down the river.
Ben paddles in the Hawkesbury Canoe Classic 2017 -

Each year up to 600 participants paddle overnight to raise money for the Arrow Bone Marrow Transplant Foundation to give hope to people suffering from diseases treatable by bone marrow and adult stem cell transplants.

It took a few hours of setting up the boat with gps, irrigation, seat positions, slick black cover – but what a great looking boat!

Ben paddles in the Hawkesbury Canoe Classic 2017 -

They started at 4.40pm with a handful of single blade paddlers including friends Al and Jack (Makai Lakes Outriggers) on the OC2, and famous Clarkie and Bondy also on a Wenonah craft… the race was on!

 

Sackville (28km) the first pitstop including refreshing the 4L of fluids for each paddler and eating a few homemade rice balls and protien bars.The boys were looking good.

Wisemans (65km) – well landcrew were waiting and watching the gps tracker and the boys just paddled past! The boys missed the checkin and were avg 13km/hr on the run out tide. Haha.. so they decided to stop at KILO the next stop where they got chicken noodle soup and plenty of donuts from the SES. A msg was sent to the
Worried landcrew to say meet at the finish line!

Ben paddles in the Hawkesbury Canoe Classic 2017 -
Ben paddles in the Hawkesbury Canoe Classic 2017 -