Kayakers ready for Karapiro nationals

GET OUT THERE: Whanganui Kayak Club members, training on the river for the start of the nationals today at Lake Karapiro.

A BIG contingent from the Whanganui Kayak Club will look to make their presence felt in both the North and South Islands this weekend.

Whanganui River will be a little empty on Saturday morning after weeks of training by the nearly 40 club members who are attending the CRNZ National championships at Lake Karapiro, which is hosting the event for the first time.

Another group from the kayakers' umbrella Whanganui Multisport Club are off to the Speights Coast to Coast, which starts today for the two-day race from the South Island's West Coast through to Christchurch, including the tough 67km paddle down the Waimakariri River.

"Our 6am training sessions have regularly seen 20-30 paddlers on water in preparation for these events," said club coach Brian Scott.

"We have a strong group of athletes right across the board."

At Lake Karapiro, the club members will take part in 200m, 500m and 1000m distance races, entering K1 individuals and K2-4 teams from Under 14 level right through to Masters.

It is expected the stars of the show will be the club's New Zealand teenaged representatives - Erica Tanner, Toby Brooke, Aiden Nossiter and a returning Max Brown from Victoria University - before they depart for the 2015 Australian GP 2 competition in Sydney.

However, club member Lisa Chase said they will have plenty more on show than just those standouts.

"We've got a few others, our medal tally will be wider spread."

Tim Rowe has been a contemporary of Nossiter and Brown in the team races and will do so again.

Racing begins this morning and continues to till Sunday afternoon.

The club had been a real buzz this season, said committee member Peter Brown.

"We have just had a fantastic summer for paddling conditions and the numbers turning up are growing continuously.

"As such, this year's nationals is a full three days of competition rather than the usual two-and-a-half and record numbers are competing."

After these nationals, the club will be looking for new members to join the club for 10.30am Saturday introduction sessions.