HCC 2025

Hawkesbury Canoe Classic 8-9 November 2025

The Hawkesbury Classic Paddle is a unique opportunity to pit yourself against the physical and mental hurdles thrown up by a 111km, overnight, paddle from Windsor to Mooney Mooney on Sydney's majestic Hawkesbury River.

Lane Cove River Kayakers is a longstanding supporter of the HCC with substantial experience amongst our paddlers. The Club always provides support at the event, and in the lead-up. The content below provides info for new & seasoned paddlers.

LCRK Club Support

2025 HCC 'Calculator' (Coming Sooon)

LCRK is please to provide this Microsoft Excel based 'calculator' which is preloaded with HCC 2024 Tides all the way up to Windsor and incorporating associated tidal and riverine flows (all other things being equal which they never are!!). To use, download the tool, open up Excel, and read the instructions:

  1. Update your Windsor start time, your base speed, your stop times.
  2. The calculator will then derive your ETA at respective checkpoints, including adjustments for current.
  3. The course map (separate worksheet) will be automatically updated and can be printed out/laminated on a single A4 page for you &/or your landcrew.
  4. How do you work out your base speed? See Tom Holloway's excellent article for more detail - he recommends assuming you paddle at 90% of your Time Trial speed. Stops are additional as are delays waiting for one or more car ferries. See this PDF.
  5. Note that whilst there's a bit of science behind this tool - there are many other important variables in play including wind, river knowledge, ferries, swims etc - which can make the tool a bit of sideshow. Use the tool in conjunction with ALL your planning.

Above: Calculator produces prepopulated map showing ETA's



At Windsor - From 10am to 5pm


Above: Wisemans Ferry Support. Photo Jana Osvald 2015
  • LCRK Marquee for shade and meeting point
  • Club shirts and caps for sale
  • Issue paddler, start list and contact list
  • Experts to offer advice, smiles and positive vibes
  • Group photo 2:30PM (Be at the LCRK marquee at 2:25pm)
  • Mandatory race briefing is at tba pm
  • Marquee will be moved to Wisemans at 5:30pm


At Sackville - from 6:30pm until last LCRK paddler through

  • Sackville stop point is no longer at the beach around the corner, due to residents concerns about hundreds of feet damaging the flood remediation work. Stop point will be 50 metres downstream from the ferry, before the right hand bend into the beach
  • Illuminated LCRK sign to identify our shared meeting point
  • Shared land crew support in landing and re-launching each paddler
  • Informal tracking of LCRK craft passing through\\Reminder to paddlers to check out at 2nd Sackville checkpoint

Above: Location of Sackville HQ (boatramp just downstream from Ferry)


At Wisemans - from 8:30pm until last paddler through

  • LCRK meeting point 40 metres downriver from main launching ramp (see photos below - look for the red electronic timing board used for our Time Trials)
  • LCRK marquee
  • Informal tracking of LCRK craft passing through
  • Club support for land crews in landing and re-launching their paddlers
  • Reminder to paddlers to check out at 2nd Wiseman's checkpoint.

Low Tide Pit-Stop

If you need a last stop on your down-river run and succumb to the "sirens", you will, as usual, be offered smiles, "mud angel" landing and re-launching services, sometimes "paddle through" service; fire for warmth; smiles; hot food and drink; and more smiles - this is not a club facility but a wonderful service volunteered annually to all participants. Remember the location this year is about half a kilometre upstream from its old spot –it is at a boat ramp (= less mud!)



Preparation Reading

General Advice

Nutrition

Clothing

Stretching/Injury Prevention

Landcrew Advice

Maps & Planning

Garmin GPX Track

  • HCC.zip Unzip, copy into your Garmin, and set to visible using garmin menu.

For planning and safety purposes please note: The HCC is not 111km, it is actually 100km. Also, it does not finish at Brooklyn, it finishes at Mooney Mooney (Deerubbin Reserve)


HCC - Current Class Record Holders

LCRK members past and present currently hold 40 class records.

BoatClassNameYearTime
K1Women OpenNaomi Johnson20199:28:55
K1Women 40+Ruby Ardren201910:3:19
K1Men 60+Tony Hystek20199:39:00
K1Women Vet60+Ann Lloyd Green201613:57:29
K4Women 40+Anjie Lees, Jana Osvald, Wendy Andrews, Kerrie Murphy201812:27:40
K4WomenMargaret Cook, Merridy Huxley, Buzz Powell, Sandra Burwood20069:29:40
K4Mixed 40+Margaret Cook, Merridy Huxley, Warren Huxley, Bernard Craggs200810:07:36
K4Mixed 50+Margaret Cook, Merridy Huxley, Warren Huxley, Rob Cook201010:18:23
K4Women 50+Rae Duffy with Merridy Huxley, Dee Ratliffe and Clare McArthur201310:53:59
TK1WomenMargaret Cook198510:44:49
TK2Women Vet40+Margaret Cook, Merridy Huxley200310:46:04
DRR1Men 50+Richard Barnes201411:19:20
Short RecMen 50+Tom Simmat20079:58:35
Short RecMen 60+Tom Simmat201210:35:24
Short RecMen 70+Tom Simmat201810:27:00
Med RecMen OpenToby Hogbin20109:18:22
Med RecWomen 50+Rae Duffy201210:55:09
Med RecMen 60+Tom Simmat20109:54:05
Med RecMen 70+Phil Newman202413:29:19
Long RecMen OpenBruce Goodall20009:37:50
Long RecWomen 50+Liz Winn200810:59.33
Long RecWomen 60+Ann Lloyd-Green201314:02:57
Long RecMen 60+Tom Simmat20119:59:07
Long RecMen 70+Tom Simmat201910:46:38
Long Rec 2MixedKristy Benjamin & Bob Turner20128:58:02
Rec 2Men 40+Kenji Ogawa, Genkai So200010:36:34
Rec 2Mixed 50+Urs Mader, Arni Mader201210:40:12
Ocean Racing SkiWomen OpenNaomi Johnson20239:38:56
Ocean Racing SkiWomen 50+Roz Green201512:47:59
Ocean Racing SkiMen 40+Brendan Trewartha20178:38:47
Ocean Racing SkiMen 60+Tony Hystek20169:06:32
Ocean Racing Ski 2Men 50+Brendan Trewartha & Peter Manley20238:35:15
SSK2Mixed 40+Joy and Rich Robinson20159:28:31
UnrestrictedMen OpenToby Hogbin20128:18:19
UnrestrictedWomenJulie Stanton200610:13:30
UnrestrictedWomen 40+Anjie Lees201511:51:14
UnrestrictedMen 70+Adrian Clayton202311:29:07
Unrestricted 2Mixed OpenJoy and Rich Robinson20169:05:38
Unrestricted 2Mixed 50+Alanna Ewin, Tony Hystek20178:50:42
Wisemans DashOpenAndrew Love, Toby Hogbin20164:45:00

HCC - The Whiddon Trophy (Fastest Time)

  • 2009 Matt Blundell
  • 2010 Matt Blundell
  • 2023 Peter Manley and Brendan Trewartha

HCC - Participation

CompletedName
40 or moreRichard Barnes
25 or moreKenji Ogawa
20 or moreMargaret Cook, Peter Fitzgerld, Merridy Huxley, John Duffy
15 or moreDon Rowston, Tom Simmat, Warren Huxley
10 or moreMartin Dearnley, Bruce Goodall, Rob Vallis, Urs Mader, Derek Simmonds, Matt Swann, Richard Yates, John Harrison, Chris Thompson, Richard Robinson, Darren Williams

(go to LCRK's 2024 Hawkesbury Classic Pages)