Whitewater paddlers hit the Swan and Avon rivers for one of the first runs this season after storms dumped 73mm on Perth in the past week.
With the 2009 Avon Descent five weeks away, competitors made the most of the rain to test the rapids and train for the gruelling 133km race.
Brendon Sarson, 26, who won $7000 last year for the fastest single craft, said the rain was at the perfect time for his training group's "two weeks of hell" — a fortnight of heavy training aimed at getting them as fit as possible, as fast as possible.
In the next 14 days he expects to paddle up to 400km on flat water and run and lift weights almost daily.
Sarson said higher water could cut hours off the race. In some years, low rainfall meant competitors had to carry boats through shallow stretches and around the rapids.
Event chairman Kevin Harrison was confident the water level would be excellent if the catchment had its normal July rainfall.
Relatively calm weather yesterday allowed Western Power crews to restore power to thousands of homes and State Emergency Service volunteers to continue clean-up efforts.
About 17,000 metropolitan homes and businesses were without power during the storms but it was restored to most properties by yesterday afternoon.
Over the four stormy days, SES crews responded to more than 360 calls for help in the metropolitan area and 50 in regional areas from Northam to Albany.
A few showers are expected this morning before the weather clears for the rest of the week.
TIFFANY FOX and GABRIELLE KNOWLES
