For a group of Whangarei rowers a trip to the south of France means bypassing the bottles of merlot for blistering heat and hands as they take to water in the 210km Canal Du Midi race.
Crew member Karen Clearwater said the plan to compete in the legendary five-day regatta had been five years in the making for Whangarei Rowing Club members and their supporters.
"We gather in Paris next week and head down and it's hard to believe it's come around after thinking about it for so long," she said.
The nature of the volunteer-run race, now in its 35th year, had meant demanding training, on and off the water, Ms Clearwater said.
The crew of 10 would row a double-sculled quad, with spare rowers riding bicycles along the side of the canal during their "off" legs of the race. Cycling training had been fitted in around 30km training rows.
Ms Clearwater said while the group were primarily going for the experience, they were optimistic about the chance of doing well in their category.
"I mean, who knows?" she said.
"We have a teacher, an accountant, a surveyor, a retiree " a real mix of people. Everybody will have a turn at rowing and there's usually about 200 competitors from around the world."
The five-day race will start in Toulouse on August 10 and wind through 28C heat to Beziers near the coast of the Mediterranean. The two daily legs are spaced by a lunche in villages along the way.
The regatta looks set to be a strange mix of luxury - the crews stay several nights in a castle - and hard work.
"The rowers get really blistered hands," Ms Clearwater said. "A lot of the photos show hundreds of people all lined up at the first-aid tent."
The course takes in some of the most picturesque parts of France and crews have to lift their boats over 40 locks. The fastest crews take about 17 hours to complete the race.