ExxonMobil Inter-District Kayaking competition: Organizer Deon Anderson anticipates great competition

As preparation is geared up for the third ExxonMobil Inter-District Kayaking Competition, which takes place on July 13 at the Watooka Guest House in Linden, event organizer Deon Anderson is expecting the event to be packed with exhilarating action for supporters, with thrilling rivalries to be settled by contestants.
In an exclusive interview with Guyana Times Sport, Deon Anderson, proprietor of Elite Kayaking and Nature Tours, divulged on the expectation of success for great competition and growth of the sport.

“And we are now on to our second round, which is the National Inter-District Kayaking Competition. This Inter-District Kayaking Competition will see the participation of all sports districts around the country. We are talking about schools from District 1 and District 2 straight up to District 15, so schools from Lethem, Pomeroon, West Side and from all the districts in Georgetown, Berbice, Essequibo and Rupununi; so, we expect to see a lot of rivalries and good competition this year for the Inter-District. We have already confirmed with the teams, they’re in practice sessions scheduled, and we expect to see lots of great competition come the 13th of July,2024.
“With this inter-district tournament, we expect that concept (Sports Tourism) to grow, not only stay at the school level but at the regional level,” Anderson detailed.
He went on to disclose that safety has been a top priority for the event.
Anderson disclosed, “Safety is our number one priority, so, on the day of competition as well as the practice session, we have several barriers of protection in the form of our lifeguards on the water-top and on land; water- -ambulance also in the event of any medical assistance needed to be given; medical crew on the water, in the water, also on land; we have medical crew with doctors, and of course lifeguards on the jet skis. We have the police boats, so it will be a day of full family-oriented (fun), but of course safety, and each person can enjoy the beauty of the competition, feel safe, and enjoy what the competition has to offer. ”
This competition will see participation from 16 districts from North West, Essequibo Coast/Pomeroon, West Coast Berbice, West Coast Demerara, Corentyne, Bartica, Potaro/Siparuni, Rupununi, North Georgetown, Upper Demerara, Kwakwani, East Georgetown, South Georgetown, East Bank Demerara, and New Amsterdam.
Each team will comprise 12 participants along with four substitutes to bring the total team members to 16: eight males and eight females. The age categories are as follows: Under-14, Under-16, Under-18 and Open (15+ and up).
The short-course race comprises a male single kayak race, a female single kayak race, and a mixed-doubles kayak race: 1 male and 1 female.
The Open Category Long Distance Relay Race will comprise a 400m sprint from Hamilton’s Sawmill to Rigby’s Boat Landing, where the sprinters will then tag their respective partners who will then proceed into the water in a double kayak from the boat landing to the Watooka Guest House.
The Rupununi District thrilled all in 2023, as the participants displayed sound judgment and stellar performances to win the tournament, and they would look to repeat their performance this year. (Omar McKenzie)