Duncan's Avon success

Claire Duncan is certainly not afraid of a challenge.

After tackling the Avon Descent in a team five times Duncan, 23, decided to try it on her own in 2012.

With the river at record low levels she could not have picked a more gruelling year to go solo.

She had the last laugh after two days of paddling and was the first solo female across the line in a time of 13hrs:08min:20sec — almost 40 minutes ahead of her nearest rival.

Duncan, who paddled in the competitive long plastic ski class, said low water levels had not fazed her ahead of the event.

‘‘I love challenging things. The more challenging it was going to be, the more I wanted to do it and see that mentally I could get through it,’’ she said.

‘‘With the low water level I knew it was going to be harder but there was never a moment that I thought I had chosen the wrong year to do it (solo).’’

Duncan was one of 13 members from the City of Bunbury Surf Lifesaving club competing at the event. Under the guidance of the club’s head ski coach Cimon Albertsen, who was in his 20th Avon Descent, Smith completed five sessions on the water each week in preparation for the race.

Also competing in a long plastic division, Albertsen finished the race in 12:37:13.

Another standout from the club was veteran Les Somers, who was competing in his 27th Avon Descent in the double surf ski division— he and partner Greg Nott crossed the line in 13:56:29.

Despite being well prepared for the race, Duncan kept her expectations realistic and was just hoping to finish.

‘‘But in saying that I knew I had done all the hard training and work to do well,’’ she said.

‘‘It’s such an unpredictable race you can’t go into it hoping to win or place, but obviously I’m happy with how I went.’’

Father and son duo Ian and Todd Williamson won the elite 10hp sports dinghies category in a time of 2:09:27.

Men’s double kayak team Hank McGregor and Grant Van der Walt were the first paddlers across the line in a time of 10:18:46.