Three excavators are rearranging the bed of the Hawea River,
near Wanaka, to create what is expected to be the country's
best purpose-built whitewater course for kayakers and
rafters.
Two rock weirs have been cemented into the river just above
the Camp Rd bridge to provide particular styles of rapids
sought by kayaking competitors. They will be available for
any river users.
The design is that of American Scott Shipley (41) who was
responsible for the London Olympic kayaking course.
Mr Shipley is a three-time slalom canoe world champion and
10-time United States champion who "somehow managed" not to
win a medal at the three Olympics he competed in.
He has designed more than 20 whitewater courses around the
world - many of them artificial, with water recirculated from
the bottom of the course to the top.
In contrast, the Hawea River course, when work is completed
next month, will be returned to its relatively natural state
except for the new rapids and landscaping that will provide a
small amphitheatre for spectators.
The work is being paid for by Contact Energy which controls
the level of the river with its structure at the outlet of
Lake Hawea.
Contact agreed to build the course, requested by the Central
Otago Whitewater Association, when it was renewing consents
for its Clyde and Roxburgh dams.
The company would not reveal the cost of the course but
Contact engineer Denis McEntyre said it was "not cheap".
During construction the flow of the river has been reduced to
between 3cumecs and 5cumecs but once the course was finished
"recreational flows" of up to 30cumecs would be released once
a month from November to February each year.
During normal flows, of about 10cumecs, competition and
recreational kayakers would still have rapids in the middle
of the river to test themselves on.
Standing amid of a mess of excavated boulders, gravel and
discoloured water this week, Mr Shipley explained to the
Otago Daily Times a little of the pressure that goes with
making a living designing whitewater courses.
In 2005-06 he designed the world's largest whitewater park,
the $37 million United States National Whitewater Centre in
Charlotte, North Carolina.
During construction, Mr Shipley said, there were "doubters
everywhere".
But once the water began running, and the course was seen to
be working as planned "everyone wanted to have a drink with
you".
"It's like you are walking on water for a little while."
Mr Shipley said, once, whitewater course designs catered
solely for canoe racing but now there was also demand for
courses for family recreation.
However, all those who used the Hawea course would still need
to wear life jackets, helmets and be comfortable in the
water.
"What we didn't do was go out there and make big whitewater
safe for the masses.
"So I would discourage someone coming out here with a
floating duck ring and trying to go down it.
"But I would encourage people who are in a class or in a
group, on low-water days, with a helmet and a life jacket to
come out and enjoy it."
Mr McEntyre said Contact would provide notice of high
recreational flows well in advance.
Mr Shipley's last task will be to tune the course.
"There are a bunch of tricks of the trade but it's simply
looking at how to optimise it for certain levels."
Mr Shipley said whitewater courses in the United States had
positive effects on local economies, attracting visiting
paddlers who used restaurants and accommodation services.
The machinery will be out of the river by December 5.
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