The rain was lightly falling at the IRF2019 World Rafting Championship site at Cardstone on the Tully River today but it did not dampen the spirits of the Australian Under 23 Men’s Team.

This is the Australian young guns’ first world championships and they are raring to go. They have a slight home advantage after training on the Tully over the past year but have been keeping a watchful eye on the competition. The Czechoslovakian team and Team New Zealand will, they say, be the ones to beat.

Team spokesman William Hilder says the rain will only add to the thrill of the competition as it feeds the river.

Back at Tully, the town is buzzing with the influx of 49 teams and their supporters from 21 countries. Taking part are the current R6 world champions Brazil, and the IRF’s ‘Peace’ team Colombia, whose members put down their rifles as FARC guerrillas and took up paddles instead.

A welcome parade through the streets of Tully will precede the opening ceremony at Tully Showgrounds.

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