2012 Whitewater Extreme Series

So last weekend was the first 2 events of the 2012 Whitewater Extreme Series. On Saturday we had a time trial race down the Kaituna, you got two runs down the river from the dam to the bottom hole and the fastest combined time won. Heres the time results.

Kenny Mutton and Louise Jull the winners of the Kaituna Time Trial

The next event was the Wairoa Extreme Race. For the Wairoa race everyone has a time trial starting from the seal launch rock below McLarens Falls to a spot above the top waterfall. The time trial results are used to rank everyone from fastest to slowest and these positions decide who you are up against in the head to head races.

Jorg and Greg doing their best impressions of goldfish

Josh and Dan battling it out

Nikki and Lou with a bit of friendly competition

The head to head races start above the top waterfall and finish on river left at the bottom of the 'rollercoaster' rapid. The race format is knockout style with the fastest person in the time trial racing the slowest and so on. This is the first time head to head races had been held on this section of the river since last summers floods changed the rapid. The 'new' rollercoaster provided just as much if not more entertainment for the spectators than the 'old' rollercoaster with plenty of lead changes throughout the length of the rapid.

Ryan showing whose boss

Me and Nikki in the women's final

Jamie and Kenny battling it out

Me and Jamie

All of these photos were taken by Shilo Gibson thanks Shilo for taking the day off work to help out with the safety and paparazzi side of this event.

Mens head to head results

Women's head to head results

Jamie Sutton took out the Men's title for the second year running and I was stoked to take out the Women's title for the 3rd year running. Huge thanks to all the people who supported the event, Pattie and Neil Sutton, Rochfort Paddles for providing a paddle as a spot prize, Kaitiaki Adventures for providing the start raft and Rotorua Rafting for providing the safety raft. Most importantly massive ups to Louise Urwin and Brendan Bayly for organising the entire weekend and sacrificing their own races so everyone else got to have fun thanks guys!!!