Raft racing should be a highlight

Taupo Times, Volume 20, Issue 3, 14 January 1971, Page 9

Raft racing should be a highlight

A new event has appeared on the New Zealand sporting calendar this year — one of a type which will not be found in any record book, but which is expected to grow in popularity each year.

It is the New Zealand Raft Racing Championship, one of a series of raft races to be held on Lake Taupo on Saturday, January 23. The event has originated from one event included in last year's Taupo Centennial celebrations, which proved to be an outstanding success from the points of view of competitors, officials, and particularly the thousands of spectators who lined the Lake foreshore and thoroughly enjoyed the fun. To the surprise of the organiser, Taupo Public Relations Officer, Len Bergman, no fewer than 24 rafts par-

ticipated, crewed by schoolboys, young ladies, and men, and propelled by all means, from walking and pushing in the shallow water, through conventional paddling — one entry was propelled by a crew of 23 — to ingeniqus mechanical devices which did not contravene the primary rule that rafts may not be propelled by motors or sails. One unusual entry was a replica of a Mississippi paddle steamer, complete with crew of black-faced slaves dressed in top hats and striped suits, while the winning entry was propelled by a crew of six, seated astride cycles, pedalling a drive which, when

transferred through a car gearbox, delivered 3500 revolutions to the propellor, enabling the "raft" to obtain a speed of 15 knots in cairn water. The rules are extremely flexible, based more on stock car racing than Grand Prix struggles. Thus, the crews realise that their main chance of winning is to prevent the opposition from doing so — hence each raft appeared to carry ample supplies of flour bags, tomatoes and eggs, and obstruction became the rule rather than the exception, to the great delight of the spectators, as well as the excitement and chagrin of the less lucky competitors. The inequality of the chances of the various competitors, in addition to the many enquiries, not only from Taupo residents, but also from other towns, has prompted the Public Relations Office to divide the events into a series of races this year, and four events will be held — one for schoolboy crews, another for girl and women crews, and two more major events. The Tongariro Championship will be an open event, the only restriction being that craft must be propelled solely by hand paddling. This event is expected to attract many entries from towns outside Taupo, as well as locals, who are already busy constructing craft of all shapes and sizes. The major event will be held over a triangular course in the Bay, with one Ieg running parallel to the foreshore, and has been christened "The Raft Racing Championship of New Zealand." A variety of craft driven by many ingenious methods is expected to compete, in addition to those which have started in the earlier events, but are still eligible for the main race. Many entries are expected from towns outside of the venue. Particulars of the rules and conditions of the events are available at all Public Relations Offices throughout the country, or may be obtained by personal call, phone, or mail from the Taupo Information Centre. From the demand for copies of these already, it appears that Raft Racing Day in Taupo is well assured of being one of the outstanding and memorable sporting events in the town's holiday carnival programme.