A scorching hot finish line greeted paddlers in the Red Cross Murray Marathon today as they braved 42-plus degree heat to complete the 404km event. Supporters ignored the heat to cheer on their teams, encouraging them to push through weariness to make a strong dash for the end.
The winners made themselves known early in the event and held their leads throughout - 59-year-old Tom Simmat from Sydney won with a handicap time of 24 hours, 52 minutes and five seconds. Partners Kim Willocks and David Provan took fastest outright time with 29 hours, one minute and 40 seconds.
Second on handicap were Ian Newland and Rod Clark with a handicap time of 26 hours, 14 minutes and 50 seconds. Third were Tony Bond and Stuart Nicol from Werribee with a handicap time of 26 hours 39 minutes and one second.
Outright second and third were Rob Vallis and Michael Mueller, and Angus Sprott from Tasmania with times of 29 hours, 53 minutes and 40 seconds, and 30 hours nine minutes and 24 seconds respectively.
In the open schools relay section, the Woodleigh Water Ratz from Baxter won with a time of 28 hours 23 minutes, one second. Wellers A with 28 hours 29 minutes and 40 seconds and Trinity Green with 29 hours, four minutes and 22 seconds followed next.
After hitting a log that sank his boat two kilometres into this morning's paddle, Tom Simmat patched up his boat with some river mud, a leaf and gaffa tape then went on to win on handicap. 'That lost me 20 minutes but I managed to pick it up. So it was a hard day at the office!' added Tom.
After five days of non-stop paddling and punishing temperatures, the paddlers were relieved to arrive in Swan Hill for the New Year's Eve riverside party.
'There's a big party, I'll have a few beers, several orange daiquiris, a few mango daiquiris and then a few more beers, and then I'll probably feel really bad,' says Tom.
Over five grueling days, 770 paddlers, 250 Red Cross volunteers and 3000 support crew from all across the country drank a total of 10,470 litres of water. Red Cross first aid volunteers helped 197 people with injuries including blisters, rashes, cuts, abrasions and dehydration and the massage team gave 500 massages.
This marks the close of the five-day event - the longest paddling event in Australia - which started in Yarrawonga on 27 December, and finished in Swan Hill. It was capped off with a final 76 km paddle from Murrabit to Swan Hill.
Funds raised by paddlers and their dedicated support crew help Red Cross deliver services to vulnerable people in Victoria, from reuniting families who have been separated by war or disaster to helping communities cope after major emergencies.
