Rowing demands action on wood

It's time for the Wanganui Rowing Association and other users of the Whanganui River to sit down together and find a way of stopping the wood problem, says Rowing Wanganui spokesman Rod Trott.
Persistently pieces of potentially damaging wood caused huge delays in Sunday's proceedings of the Wanganui leg of the World Hydroplane Championships ? and certainly worried drivers, some of whom declined to risk further runs.
One of them, last year's Flying Lap winner Tony Lattimer, copped a $20,000 damage bill after running over half a dozen pieces of the wood.
Trott says three years ago the New Zealand University rowing championships on the river were badly upset by wood after heavy rains, and there were suggestions from organisers that they would not return.
Sunday's wood was probably the result of the previous Tuesday and Wednesday's rain ? and that's a problem that can happen at any time.
The Wanganui Rowing Association holds its annual championships this weekend over Saturday and Sunday. "The river looks in pristine condition at present," Trott said yesterday, "but it's time we sat down and really thought this through.
"We've had people come up to us over the years and toss ideas about nets or booms around. Probably a net across one side of Cobham Bridge ? either the north or south ? for the duration of the event, would do the job.
"Driftwood and heaps of plastic would be caught. It shouldn't really be a major problem, in this day and age." Trott emphasises the importance of the Whanganui River to the local sporting calendar ? rowing, jet boats, hydroplanes, jet-skis, canoeing, kayaking, triathlons.
"People who use the river need to get together and talk about it because it's a safety and health issue," Trott said.
It's also an issue of the loss of income to the city if these events decide to locate elsewhere because of the risk to the competitors.
"It's Wanganui's No 1 venue," Trott said.
Waverley man Stephen Hooper believes the problem could be solved by using deer netting, with steel clamps and wire ropes holding it to either side, and plastic drums holding it up across the water. "It wouldn't be too expensive, certainly worth a trial anyway."