World champion Barbara Kendall to show her class

Media Release – December 30

World champion Barbara Kendall to show her class at NZ’s first AquaFest

World boardsailing champion Barbara Kendall will show her skills at New Zealand’s first AquaFest on Lake Hood near Ashburton on January 25.

Kendall, a former Olympic gold medallist, recently won the world boardsailing title and will be helping new boardsailers at the festival.

``She will be on site with another former Olympic champion, kayaker Ian Ferguson, running free workshops all day,’’ festival organiser Ingrid Temple said.

``We will also have Barbara competing in a demonstration race as well.’’

The annual Coast to Coast race is two weeks after AquaFest and Ferguson has offered to help those competitors reduce their race time by showing them correct kayaking techniques.

Two national record attempts will be made at the inaugural Ashburton AquaFest on New Zealand’s newest lake - Lake Hood.

New Zealand champion Peter Knight will try and break a new powerboat sprint record while world recognised kite-flyer Peter Lynn hopes to fly the world’s biggest kite at the festival on January 25.

The festival is Ashburton’s answer to similar wine and food festivals around the country but with extra activities including, art, water skiing, triathlon, rowing, yachting, bathtub racing and model boat racing.

Organiser Ingrid Temple said AquaFest would become annual event showing off Canterbury’s best wine and food and would attract people from all over New Zealand. She said wine and food were not the main focus.

Festival-goers will watch the proceedings on probably the world’s first man-made recycled sandy beach at the lakeside.
The beach sand is made of recycled and polished glass. It was prepared by WasteBusters Trust Canterbury from Christchurch and Ashburton recycled glass.

WasteBusters devised a scheme that will see tonnes of finely crushed and polished recycled glass delivered to the Lake Hood site.

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Media advisory: For further information contact AquaFest organiser Ingrid Temple on 03 3087033 021 375 047 or Kip Brook, Word of Mouth Media NZ 03 374 5426

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