The Great Race is held on a 3.85km "against the flow" course through central Hamilton on New Zealand's largest river - the mighty Waikato. Waikato means "flowing water" and it flows for 425km beginning life in the snows and ice fields of Tongariro National Park. Before entering Lake Taupo it is known as the Tongariro River for part of its length.
On leaving Lake Taupo it flows in a well-defined bed through steep uplands before reaching the flat plains of the middle Waikato basin or Hamilton lowlands. After passing through the Taupiri Gorge it reaches the flat country of the lower Waikato and finally enters the Tasman Sea south of Auckland at Port Waikato.
With the assistance of Mighty River Power, the Great Race is held on a river flow of 12.5-13.5m. The course, which begins at Ann St Reserve and finishes at Ferry Bank Park, has four significant bends in the river. The effect of a bend is to alter the course of the river current from one side of the river to the other. As it is very difficult to row into a current, the racing crews are constantly trying to find the "slack water" and are often changing course in order to do so.
Tactics play a critical role in this race, as race rules indicate "right of way" situations when boats are overlapping each other.
