QUICK SINGLE Teenager tastes success in Massive Murray Paddle

WHAT A way to celebrate your 17th birthday — being the first single canoeist to cross the finish line in the Massive Murray Paddle.

Echuca Canoe Club’s Tyler Creed did exactly that.

A 16-year-old at the time, Creed and his single canoe named ‘Single, Ready to Mingle’ crossed the line at Swan Hill in a time of 31.5 hours.

That’s more than three hours faster than his previous best time, which he set in 2017.

‘‘It was my third time in the Massive Murray Paddle, but my first in a single canoe. The other two I did with my dad in a double canoe,’’ Creed said.

‘‘I still actually have one year left as a junior entrant, because I’m 17 today (Wednesday).

‘‘I knocked off about three hours from my previous best time. I went from a time of about 35 hours down to nearly 31 and a half. And that’s across 404km,’’ he said.

Creed didn’t have an easy run to beating his previous best.

Over the five days it took to reach Swan Hill after setting off from Yarrawonga, the initial two days covered 187km, going from Yarrawonga to Tocumwal (93km) and Tocumwal to Picnic Point (94).

But it wasn’t those two days that were the hardest on the young man, it was the 62km fourth day — from Echuca to Torrumbarry.

‘‘The fourth was actually the hardest day because there was a howling gale and it was going against us whenever it had the chance.

‘‘Whenever you stopped the boat you got pulled right back to where you were just paddling.

‘‘There was only one other person my age in a K1 canoe, but they pulled out on that fourth day — a lot of people did actually.

‘‘Not many people can do the whole distance, it’s a really long way,’’ he said.

Creed said he will continue to race locally for the time being, but said the Massive Murray Paddle was a huge highlight of his year, and would continue racing each and every year for some time.

‘‘There are plenty of local races being held in the meantime and in future, the Bridge to Bridge in Cohuna; and the Echuca Canoe Club does a few races around here too,’’ he said.

HE’S COME A LONG WAY: Echuca Canoe Club’s Tyler Creed was the first single canoeist to cross the finish line, in a time more than three hours faster than his 2017 mark.