The Maze Rapid
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Distance from start of the stage : 30.5km Lat -29.618920 Lon 30.582896 |
Spectators/Seconds: No |
The Maze is important for two reasons. It is a significant rapid that needs to be taken seriously in its own right, and it also gives a very good indicator of just how much water is in that section of the river going into Mission rapid, not far away.
The Maze – just as it’s name suggests – covers around 300m of twisty turning channels that wind around an island and a left hand bend in the river. What makes them more difficult for most is the fact that traffic around you paddling different lines at different paces get in the way, calling for calm heads, patience, and the ability to turn to plan B quickly.
The best line starts left of centre and moves to the left of the island, rolling over a series of drops where water comes from all angles. Positive paddling is vital – pull strongly to dominate these laterals, but don’t be afraid to let the water do the hard work of turning the boat in a tight spot.
Right of the Island
Left line
Quite easily identified because you can see Mission bridge in the distance.
I prefer going right of the island as there are fewer drops but if it is medium to low then right becomes less of an option. In this case you’ll have to go left but then be aware of the many sharp turns. |
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Left of Main Island, try not to slow boat speed down too much so you don’t get beached |