Local paddler, Angus Sprott, battled heat, flies and a strong field of over 700 competitors to win the 2007 Murray River Marathon, in the process setting a new race record. Averaging over 13kph for over 30 hours of paddling, Angus was the fastest single (solo) full distance competitor and took 3.5hrs off the unrestricted class record. Incredibly he also finished ahead of all the K1 Teams, K2 Teams and the K4 Teams!! Only 2 K2 pairs were faster than Angus. A fantastic result.
Angus is well known in multisport circles, having been instrumental in helping run several Freycinet and Winter Challenge races amongst others over the years. He is also a key volunteer with Wildside MTB and was one of the initiators of the Brown’s Race series run by the DCC.
At 404km, the Murray Marathon is the longest canoeing race in the world. Paddlers take 5 days to complete the race in often extreme heat, with blisters, pressure sores and insect bites adding to the challenge and discomfort. Paddlers race from from Yarrawonga through to Swan Hill in Victoria, Australia.
The Marathon is organised by the Australian Red Cross with funds raised during the Marathon channelled back into community programs and emergency services provided by the Australian Red Cross including Patient Transport and Emergency First Aid.
Angus’s next challenge may be the world famour Molokai race in Hawaii in May. Good luck.
