Coast to Coast organisers have announced changes to this weekend's event due to the severe weather that has hit the West Coast in recent days.
Organisers said on Friday afternoon that high river levels in the Waimakariri Gorge have forced a course change to the 70-kilometre paddle.
The original course saw the paddle start at Mt White Bridge, just off State Highway 73 near the Arthur's Pass National Park, and paddle through the narrow gorge before exiting at the gorge bridge, between Sheffield and Oxford.
However, they’ll now bypass the gorge by bike, turning the original second cycle leg from a 17-kilometre jaunt into a 112km grind from Klondyke, over the Porters Pass and down to Thompsons Road, just off the Old West Coast Road.
Competitors will then jump into their kayaks for a 30km dash in the lower reaches of the Waimakariri down towards the motorway bridge in Kaianga, before getting back on their bike for an all-out sprint to the finish line in New Brighton, 12 kilometres away.
Race director Glen Currie said the changes were all about putting competitors' safety first.
“We’ve been monitoring the weather for the best part of two weeks now and while we hoped we could have run the original course, especially while celebrating the 40th Anniversary of the race, it's simply not feasible.”
The course changes have been looked over by defending world multisport champion Dougal Allan, who said the adjustments were "sensible" given the current landscape.
“As a multisporter you come to expect the unexpected and this is just one of those things.” said Allan.
“I remember racing in 2010, the last time the course was changed and while we would have loved to have the original course.
"We all stand behind the decision.”
It's the latest obstacle organisers of the event have had to address with the Government's Red setting in the Covid Protection Framework restricting the event.
Organisers said competitors will start in bubbles of 50 from 5.40am on Saturday.
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