FINE weather for sailing is the forecast for the iconic Wagga Championship Gumi Race on Sunday.
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Gumi race chairman, Tim Sheather, said no rain and a top temperature of 25 or 26 degrees was expected for one of the city’s leading community events, organised by the South Wagga Apex Club.
“It’s a bit on the cool side, but we are looking pretty good,” Mr Sheather said.
The height of the Murrumbidgee River will be about 2.6 metres, a right height for the Gumi race.
Mr Sheather said the final number of entries would not be known until race day, but he would like to see 120 entries, up from last year’s 100.
“We don’t get a lot of pre entries before the race, we get a lot on the day” Mr Sheather said.
“It’s the Australian way isn’t it, leave it to the last minute.”
Registrations will be accepted at the Eunony Bridge.
Mr Sheather said a main message he wanted to get across to the community was to come down to the river and enjoy the race and all the associated activities.
“We have a beautiful river running through our city and we need to utilise it,” he said.
Attractions at the Wagga beach, where the gumi races will end seven kilometres downstream of the jump off point at the Eunony Bridge, include amusement rides, a performance by talented young singer Harry Mangelsdorf, coffee, donuts, a barbecue put on by the Wagga Lions Club and a kids water slide run by South Wagga Apex.
The big day will kick off at 9am with the Wagga Leagues Swimming Club aquathon, starting at the Wagga beach.
At 9.30am, the Wagga Bidgee Canoe Club will stage 7km canoe race from Eunony Bridge.
The first gumis will hit the water at the Eunony Bridge at 10am with the juniors race, followed at 10.30am by the family family fun event.
The main open teams race will start at 11am, followed by the business, defence and schools challenge at 11.30am and, finally, odd bods at 12pm.
Mr Sheather said he was expecting to see some creative gumis.
“The RAAF and Army teams always spend a lot of time making their gumis and I’m really looking forward to seeing them,” he said.
Some points to remember:
- All entrants must wear P2 or P3 life jackets
- A maximum of six people on any one gumi
- Entrants must be aged at least seven and be accompanied by two adults if any crew members are under 14
- Gumis must have steerage, including paddles
For more information about the gumi race go to www.waggagumi.org.au or visit the South Wagga Apex Facebook page.