Pics ° a ee 7.

10, ENTERTAINMENT, THE HERALD, Wed. Aug. 25, 1976

ROAM AT HOME!

‘A TRAVEL BRITISH COLUMBIA FEATURE

THE GORGE BY
INNER TUBE
by Ginnie Beardsley
If you’ve ever blown up an
_old inner tube and made it
your personal ‘“‘boat’’ at
lakeshore or seaside, you'll
find it easy to establish
instant empathy with the 600
or so contestants of the third

annual Great Inner Tube:

Race on Victoria’s built-in
aquatic race track, the
Gorge Waterway, on Sun-
day, August 29.

Unlike other . aquatic

events, the Great: Inner |
Tube Race is a competition -

for. the non-expert. There is
no pre-qualification for
entry. All you need to be is
reasonably healthy and
willing to get wet. You must

also of course have access to.

an inner tube (one would
wonder where so many
come from in these days of
tubeless tires), a couple of

paddles and a five-dollar

entry fee. In a departure
from the . old days when

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many rashly regarded an
inner tube as a substitute for
a life preserver, you must
wear an approved life
jacket. You must be over 16
and have a paddling partner
in your tube with you. And
you may not embellish your
inner tube with anything
other than paint.

Naturally, some _ ex-

perience in a canoe or other’

paddle-propelied craft will
stand you in good stead, as
continuous paddling over a
mile-long course takes it out
of your arms and your back
~—~ and there is little room to
stretch your legs in a two-
man inner tube.

If you decide to confine.

‘your Inner Tube Race
participation to being a
spectator, this is one race.
which you can follow from
start to finish-on your own
two legs and enjoy one of
Victoria’s most pleasant
walks in the process, for the

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_ {nner Tube Race on Victoria’s Gorge (Jim Ryan

Photo)

tree-shaded promenade.
along Gorge Road is the best
of vantage points. The
course is laid out in such a
way as to bring the paddlers
close ‘enough to the Gorge
seawall to allow. you to “see
the whites of their eyes”.

weteteteet
spelesesehesetee

taking
: ducking is always good for a
laugh.

' game,
manoeuver their ungainly

This is a day to meet al] your
friends out walking. the
Gorge.

For many spectators, ‘the

Great Inner. Tube Race is a

good excuse for a day in the
park with the kids — Kin-
smen Gorge Park, that is,

» where you can stroll, par-

take ‘of light refreshment
sold at bargain prices by the
energetic Kinsmen, and

} wait for the race to come to
you; Inner tubers, who start. .
-jJust below the Craigflower’

Bridge on Admirals Road,
end their paddling and come

- ashore on the park’s sandy
beach, (If they come ashore

anywhere else, they are

disqualified.) There is no
: disqualification, -

however,
for. falling into the water’ and
climbing back aboard the
inner tube which
naturally adds to the fun, for

human nature being what it.

is, the .sight of someone
an involuntary

Fun: is the name of the
as contestants

craft in zig-zag courses
towards the finish line.

: Surprisingly, some manage
; to make fairly good time,
: the men's record being 26
’ minutes 44 seconds, with the
: ‘winning women’s ‘and mixed:
: teams not too many minutes
: behind in last year’s race.

To add to the fun and build

* parade in advance of the
: starting time, with a walk in
‘ regalia limited only by the
; ingenuity of the competitor,

from Gorge Park’ across

at

starting ~ point
Craigflower Bridge. Once
there, with — trophies

awarded in a variety of
categories, the tubers strip |
down for action and water
fun begins.

Although the Great Inner.
Tube is the last competition
in. the world to take itself —
seriously, it does have a
purpose over and above -
providing a: family fun day
in’ pleasant ‘surroundings.
The race is sponsored by a
Victoria newspaper and the
Hampton Park Hustlers. To-
the natural question ‘What
do these latter hustle?” , the,
answer is that they raise
money_and promole com-
munity interest in minor
sports in the Greater Vic-
toria area. All proceeds of
the Great Inner Tube Race
— entry fee, profits from
sale of booster buttons and:
refreshments — ‘are divided
among a variety of minor
Sports to help defray their

’ expenses and-make wider

participation possible.

‘There are no money prizes.

— only trophies donated by
community-minded
businesses and
organizations — in line with -
the objective of a strictly -
amateur, family fun day -
with no. commereial - in-.
volvement. -:

This year's race will offer .
some additional = en-.
tertainment in the form oft
aquatic and loggers’ sports.
displays. *

(This- Roam at Home:

_article is one of a series -

provided by the Department . .

Tillicum Bridge -and up of Recreation and Travel.
Gorge Road to the race © Industry). -
| THECORONETS {
a A . a . S Street people are feet 7
August 23 -§ b people. 7
eB g | ep em er 4 ‘They're neat people
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: Also appearing at the Terrace Hotel Why not join up? Take a
& _ August 23-28 walk. | oe
: “ARMAND SORRELL a
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