Registrations closed for the South Island (16-Feb-24) with 22 entries: 5 x Mixed Small Boat; 6 x Mixed Standard Boat; 5 x Womens Small Boat and 6 x Womens Standard Boat

See the News article for the South Island Champs 2024 (race results) or the Results page for all races

A slightly earlier start than Aoraki Open. Teams arrive from 6:30 am

• Sweeps and Managers Briefing 7:15 
• Welcome, and briefing 7:30 
• First Race 8:00 (last race expected about 4:30 pm)

Note, We will have iPads to "check in" at Crew Loading. So all participants must be registered:

• "Mixed" teams to have a minimum of 8 female and 8 male paddlers (Standard boat) and 4 female & 4 male paddlers (Small boat). Again, we all race in Big Boats
• "Women's" teams must all be female (incl the Sweep, Drummer and paddlers)
• Callers/Drummers are mandatory for all divisions.  

As with the other events, we’re offering 10-paddler boat races for those teams that can’t muster 20 paddlers. Please note that paddlers can’t mix between boats (i.e.no ‘waka jumping’).  

Racing includes (see below to download the Race Draw version 4 NEW):

• One (approx) 2,000m Three-Turns race (details to be confirmed). Similar to the Aoraki Open but using the full length of the lake. Boats are sent off in 15-second intervals similar to the 2km at Nationals.
• Two Heats plus a Final in the 500m straight line race.
• Two Heats plus a Final in the 200m Dash

If your team Sweep will be ‘double-rostered’ (eg sweeping for more than one team, or sweeping plus paddling for another team), you must ask us for a Dispensation (when you register). Likewise, if a paddler for one team wants to Sweep for another, you must ask for dispensation. We’ll try to accommodate this in the draw but can’t make any promises. If the draw shows a clash, or the same Sweep is scheduled to race in consecutive races, you’ll need to arrange for a substitute Sweep to stand in for them. This is a great venue and opportunity to allow the newly qualified Level 2 sweeps some racing experience. Note, this event will also serve as the practical assessment for developing Sweeps. Rick Smith will be 'observing and assessing'.

Pack-in/set-up assistance for the event will be provided by all teams. Once your team arrives send 1 or 2 people over to help. This assistance from all teams in the pack-up will help us get prize-giving underway expeditiously.

The event will be supplied with food and a coffee vendor at Lake Crichton as usual.

And remember, we have a fire ban, so don't bring a BBQ.

Initial plans were to run this event at Lake Ruataniwha, but the rowers asked Aoraki Dragons to reconsider. So we moved it to Lake Hood, Ashburton. But algal bloom has closed the lake, so South Islands will now be at Lake Ruger, North Canterbury. BUT (sorry, but there is another But) the lake water level is significantly down, by about 2 meters. So Aoraki Board urgently hunted for a new venue, deciding that Lake Crichton is the best option.