World Rafting Champs: A ride on the wild side

POWER: The team power down the Kaituna, as reporter Katie Holland does her best to smile for the camera. PHOTO/ANDREW WARNER 021113AW01

Just two days out from the 2013 World Rafting Champs, reporter and first-time rafter Katie Holland joined the Lockwood NZ World Championship Masters team on a training run on the Kaituna River.

I'm not sure what scared me the most - being thrown into the rapids or squeezing into a wetsuit in front of a boatload of men.

A throwaway comment to a masters' team member had somehow led to this - 9am on a Saturday, pulling on that wetsuit at Okere. But if you're going to go rafting, doing it with the best over 40 rafting crew in the country is the way to go.

The mainly local team of Nick Chater, Maika Nuku, John Snook, Paul Eames, Martin Helleur and Dai Edwards have been training together for 18 months. Around their fulltime jobs, they each train most days on the water and get together for a day's training every fortnight and an evening every week. They've also been in the gym and hot pools at QE Health. At the world champs will come up against full time rafters, paid to race, so any extra edge could make all the difference.

Back to me. After a safety briefing from Nick (if it flips, hold on and if you fall out lie back) I was on the raft in the water as the guys warmed up by, well, paddling around in circles.

We started at the spot where, at the world champs, two teams will go head to head down the river. With two rafts on a narrow river, the start is crucial and while it isn't exactly Formula 1 (their words, not mine) it's surprising how quickly the raft picks up speed from a standing start.

The home river advantage will be huge for this team as knowing the best lines to take through each section of the river is crucial. However they tell me the river is always changing and even locals can misjudge it.

The 7m waterfall is not part of the world champs but, to get to the start of the time trial course, we need to go down it. But first, four of the six guys get out. As Nick explains, they don't want to risk any injuries at this stage.

Nick and Paul take me over the waterfall. I think I scream like a girl. I think I close my eyes. There was a lot of water and just as I thought the raft was flipping and I was reminding my panicking self not to panic, up we popped. The raft was upright and I was still in it. Burn marks on my hands from holding on for dear life but otherwise all in one piece. Awesome - can we do it again?

Then back to business. The time trial will be the first of the four disciplines held at the worlds - it and the Head to Head are on the Kaituna, the Slalom is on the Tarawera and the Down River on the Rangitaiki. The time trial takes us about two and a half minutes. It doesn't sound a lot, but at the end these six fit men are breathing heavily - they go hard out.

Fun time over for me but it was back to the start for the team, to do it again and again.

Around 5000 people are expected to converge on Rotorua and Kawerau for the champs, which run from November 13 to 24. Spectator viewing points are planned.

Oh and if you haven't done it yet, go rafting. It's beautiful, exhilarating and not as scary as it sounds - apart from the wetsuit bit.

For details on the world champs times and venues see www.2013raftingworldsnz.com.