The 2017 edition of the Avon Descent is underway amid what's been described as the best conditions seen in years for the 124 kilometre race.
Floods in the Avon Valley in the hills east of Perth earlier this year have reshaped parts of the course and heavy rains in the last few weeks mean more than 300 competitors will enjoy good conditions on the water.
Organisers have tweaked parts of the often challenging river course, including a modification to the rock wall at Extracts Weir, Toodyay, to improve water flow and make it easier for competitors to "shoot" the weir without having to drag or carry their boats.
This year there is a total prize pool of $29,000 across all the classes.
Power dinghy racer Gary McNamara will compete in his 40th Avon Descent, the first competitor to reach this amazing milestone, having not missed a race since 1977.
Paddling legend Darry Long and his partner Paul Genovesi will pair up once again in a double kayak 20 years after setting a race record for their class that still stands.
Making history, the very first stand up paddle boarder is taking part, and interstate paddle rivalry returns with the Spirit Paddle Sports Challenge between Western Australia, Queensland, New South Wales and South Australia.
Perth man Ben Carrick will be competing on behalf of WA and racing in the single ski-class.
The 29-year-old competed in his first Avon Descent in 2005 and has been back every year.
As a member of City of Perth Surf Life Saving Club, Ben has been paddling skis since he was 15, and has placed second for the past two years in the single plastics category.
"I always hope to win the plastics," Ben said. "You just don't know though - there are too many variables. You could snap a paddle, break a rudder.
"I just try to take it every kilometre really."
In the power boats, Peter Barden comes from a family of Avon Descent racing fanatics and said competing in the "Bathurst of boat racing" runs in his blood.
"Both my parents race, my brother and my sister race," he said. "Ever since I can remember my parents have been doing it."
Peter remembers watching Avon Descent videos with his Dad and playing in his racing boats, and this year will be the 35-year-old's nineteenth race.
"I started racing power boats at age ten at the Perth Power Dinghy Racing Clud. I competed in my first Avon, in the junior category when I was 16."
Peter said initially his parents would always beat the children, but now the tide has turned.
"We're all very competitive and want to beat each other. In the early years Mum and Dad would beat us all, but now we win because they just do it for fun."
Peter's parents Kerry and Brent Barden will be racing again this year.
"Their boat looks like a tiger, it has stripes all over it!"
This year he has partnered up with Shaun Leavy, and they'll be starting on grid eight.
"There's a few nasty patches - hopefully we will get a bit more water, or less to see the rocks. The water is murky too, it's not normally like this. I assume it's from the flooding.
"You can only do it once a year - so you give it your best shot."
Meanwhile, Bakers Hill man Andrew Rowe is following in his father's footsteps, who was around for the inception of the Avon Descent.
It's Andrew's fourth year as a competitor in the 10 horsepower standard power boat category, and the first racing with his girlfriend Naomi Denholm.
Andrew said the race brings back fond childhood memories.
His dad Colynn Rowe was the technical director for the Avon Descent in the late 80's as well as the police liaison of the event for many years when he was the Northam sergeant.
Andrew said he never missed watching the race as a boy, and remembers standing on the banks, waiting for the power boats to speed past.
York man Gary McNamara, who raced his 40th Avon Descent last year, and Colynn, started the Avon Racing Team in 1985.
Andrew and Naomi have taken on the boat name that was started by his Dad and Gary.
The Rowe Bakers Hill family home has several old racing boats in the garden, built and painted by both Andrew and Colynn.
Andrew said the old boats were usually made out of aluminium, but these days are made out of fibreglass.
- The Avon Valley & Wheatbelt Advocate with David Allan-Petale
