ENTRIES of the YMCA’s newly named Massive Murray Paddle were well down when the race started at Yarrawonga yesterday.
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Organisers had hoped 400 people would compete, but barely 250 lined up for the staggered start from 7am.
Up to 800 competed when the race was a Red Cross-run event less than a decade ago.
The five-day, 404-kilometre race that ends in Swan Hill formally finished on New Year’s Eve.
The YMCA said yesterday it hoped people would warm to the new late-November date for the former Murray River Marathon.
But YMCA regional development manager Leon Newton said it was too early to say whether the race would be held next year.
“We do believe there is still a market and this timeslot can work,” Mr Newton said.
“We can’t speak about next year because obviously we’ve got to go through the process of this year and make it as good as we can.
“The indicators are that there’s a larger market we can tap into if we’re up and about in 2015.”
Some competitors complained the date excluded students who were still studying.
“There’s been a strong indication from schools for future support, but unfortunately they couldn’t jump on board at this stage,” Mr Newton said.
Rain threatened yesterday’s start and organisers hoped storms would hold off until the stage to Tocumwal was completed.
Mr Newton said everyone had got away safely.
“We would have liked to see more paddlers, but those there were very enthusiastic, very happy and excited about the challenge,” he said.
“The 250 paddlers is down on what we’d hope to see, but we understand it will take time for the community to transition to the new timeline.”
Mr Newton said the YMCA needed to consider markets than those it usually drew on, given there were many more adventure sports around these days.
He said one reason for moving the date was to “broaden our horizons”.
“It became evident we weren’t going to sustain or achieve growth in the same time slot,” he said.
“The wider we can cast the net with participants telling friends what a great event this is, the better we will be.”
Mr Newton said the race was a tough challenge as it was an amazing achievement for people to paddled the full distance.
“I’m sure everyone involved would love to see it return to those really, really vibrant days of years ago,” he said.”
Mr Newton said an exciting element this year was the good mix of veteran paddlers and first-timers.