Well it's all over for another year. The excitement didn't start very early in the month but it certainly increased when the rains lifted the river levels. Several paddlers will be wishing they had entered the Avon Descent.
It's just a pity it is not supported like it used to be.
It will be devastating to see it end.
Young Rhys MacRae takes a break from slalom practice.
Slalom paddle Kai takes on Richard Lowther on Tuesday night and wins.
Richard on Wednesday after we did a training session to Guildford Bridge and return.
Avon Descent 2025
Two weeks ago paddlers were wondering if they were going to walk down the course but days of heavy rain had the river raging.
Three Avon Descent winners:- Nina, Women's Winner, Hunter, Wild Water Kayak Champion & Luke Dooley, Men's Winner.
Luke Dooley. Winner for the second year.
Photo John O'Sullivan
Nina Mueller
124km in 10hrs 23mins, 1st solo female and 5th overall
Ascot Kayak Club member and Armadale Hospital midwife Nina Mueller achieved a lifelong
dream last weekend, becoming the first solo female kayaker to cross the finish line in the gruelling 124km Avon Descent.
Heavy rain the night before raised the river by half a metre, making the rapids tougher than expected.
“The valleys were extra challenging,” Nina said.
"I wouldn't have been
able to paddle the way I did without my amazing team at work who have supported me the whole way!
Like ants paddlers move over Northam weir.
Garry Tapper & Robert Hooker.
Luke with his trophy.1st male.
Nina with her finishing medal.1st female.
Tashka Takes On The Avon and Wins
Tashka 129.3kms on a SUP.
I tackled the Avon Descent white water race on a sup this year. There were many swims but I still made it down with only a damaged fin box and a few bruises!
On Day One, strong headwinds and tricky shallow flatwater pools made conditions really challenging. I was really worried about getting timed out and powered through a couple of my planned support stops. It rained heavily much of the day.
Come Day Two, it had rained so much the river gauge had jumped up 0.7m ! Being timed out was no longer a fear, the lower part of the river was in flood and each succeeding rapid got bigger and bigger. I had to take breaths and talk to myself a few times before paddling into the the last few big ones!
This race is far easier on a plastic kayak, where rocks are no problem and you can just plow over them and you are soo much quicker on the many flat sections. Doing it on a sup though, gave me a better appreciation of the lines and the breathtaking views. I saw so much more than I'd seen on my last three attempts of this
race.
If you want to see some of the footage, I'll post to the whitewatersup Facebook page. You will also find photos on my Instagram @tashka.goeswell
Avon Descent Short Course Race 17.91 km
Due to me going to Hungary to compete in the World Canoe Masters very soon and the fact I am trying to keep my kilometres up on a SUP, I didn't enter the Avon Descent this year. Instead I paddled in the short race on Sunday
which turned out being pretty tough.
Declan Hoare and I were the only SUP paddles entered in a 17.3km Avon Descent Sunday short course race and what a race it was.
Declan got away quickly and I kept up with him until the kayaks came by and ruffled the water and he managed to get a few metres away. Then the rescue boat started passing just before Ron Courtney Island and its waves came up from behind and although I was ready for it, the waves got me and over I went.
By the time I got back on Declan was in the distance. As we were pushing against a stiff river current I kept to the river edges heading up towards Bassendean and after 4 kms I caught Declan and I then managed to get in front. The rain in the night had really got the river pumping.
At the turn at Lilac Hill where there was a festival, a fast current was hitting the turn buoy and made it difficult to get around. A kayak paddler had just capsized. My turn was a bit untidy but I managed to get around. Declan was about 100 metre behind. I picked up speed as now the
current was pushing me along and I thought I had the race in the bag but 1.5km further Declan caught me. What a bummer!
With the current behind us we reached 10.7 kmh. From the Ascot Kayak Club we were neck and neck all the way to the end where we crossed the invisible finish line with Declan just a touch in front.
Then Declan hit something and fell off and just before I could smile I hit the sandbar and off I went as well to suddenly find myself flounder in the shallow water.
My time 2:21:52.78, Declan was 2 seconds quicker..
After 17 kms Declan pips me to the finish line.
Photos Many thanks to Kris Adrian.
Declan hit the sandbar which was well under water and fell in. I was just about to smile when my board stopped suddenly and off I went as well.
The crowd loved it.
The World Games
Rebecca & Josh both get 8th place
Australia’s Canoe Marathon representatives, Josh Kippin and Rebecca Mann, have wrapped up their campaigns at The World Games 2025 in Chengdu, China, delivering strong performances across both the short and long course events.
Racing began
on Saturday with the K1 short course heats, where Kippin placed fifth in his heat to qualify for the men’s final.
Mann also advanced to the women’s final after a competitive morning session. Both finals showcased world-class racing in warm, humid conditions, with Mann finishing eighth and Kippin 11th against stacked international fields.
Sunday’s long course events brought vastly different weather. Heavy rain, wind and choppy water greeted the women’s race, with Mann showing grit to claim another eighth place, just over four minutes behind the winner, Sweden’s Melinda Anderson.
The men’s race saw improving conditions, and Kippin
battled strongly throughout finishing eighth, three minutes off the winning time in a thrilling duel between South Africa’s Hamish Lovemore and Denmark’s Mads Pedersen.
The event also marked the first time in eight years that Australian athletes contested Canoe Marathon at The World Games, with both Kippin and Mann gaining valuable experience ahead of next month’s ICF Canoe Marathon
World Championships in Györ, Hungary.
Members of the 55 & over Canoe Club.
Birds Along The Way
A Shelduck with 8 ducklings.
These are the second lot of ducklings I have seen on the river this season.
A day later there were only 4 ducklings.
Whistling Kites have returned to Ron Courtney Island after a 3 year absent.
They have been busy building a nest.
It's great to hear their whistle and see them hovering.
Ravens have been giving them a hard time though.
The local ducklings are no longer safe.
A Black Swan and a White Faced Heron.
White Faced Heron.
A Possum in a tree opposite of house.
I have lots of bird books left.
Wild Water Championships, Bridgetown this weekend.
