83-year-old makes history at WA's two-day river race the Avon Descent
WA's famously tricky two-day river race - the Avon Descent - celebrated 50 years this weekend. Charlie Elliott was at the inaugural event in 1973, and he was back today, at 83 years of age, making history by becoming the oldest competitor to cross the finish line.
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00:00 Charlie Elliott's love for paddling began at this very race 50 years ago.
00:06 5, 4, 3, 2, 1, away you go Charlie! Congratulations and good luck!
00:14 The first Avant Descent was sort of traumatic. We hadn't paddled, my wife and I went in.
00:25 Back then there were no officials, no rules and very little organisation.
00:29 Less than half of the 49 competitors managed to finish.
00:33 We bummed out in the tea trees.
00:36 All good?
00:38 But after a rocky start, Mr Elliott became a star paddler,
00:43 taking home class wins in a range of crafts he designed and built himself,
00:48 and getting his name in the Guinness Book of World Records.
00:51 When I turned 80, made out the normal bucket list, jump out of a plane and that sort of stuff.
00:57 Why not do the 50th? So here we are.
01:03 Low water levels causing a few bumps and scrapes.
01:06 Well done to Noah.
01:09 Noah Boldy and Jesse Phillips were the first to finish.
01:12 Ben Carrick, the fastest solo paddler for the second year in a row.
01:16 I had a good run on Saturday, I think it was quick.
01:19 And it was quite stagnant today going down the valley.
01:22 So just take me cool, just a slog, so it was OK.
01:28 And at 83, Mr Elliott rewrote the history books again,
01:32 becoming the oldest ever competitor to complete an avon descent.
01:36 How are you feeling Charlie?
01:38 Elated. Tiredness will kick in soon.
01:42 But a bit different this year without his wife Jean to cheer him on.
01:46 But she is here, yeah.
01:48 She organised the conditions to be pretty good and all that sort of thing.
01:51 As for future bucket lists, Charlie's unsure whether a 37th race is on the cards.
01:56 Well done, grandad. You've been amazing.
01:58 It's been amazing.
01:58 [BLANK_AUDIO]