What is the gravitational potential energy?

It is potential energy associated with gravitational force. Or if you want to use another definition, it is the energy possessed or acquired by an object due to a change in its position when it is present in a gravitational field. Pick either definition.

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the maxium height is 34m/s

when jerome paddle in flowing river towards east the net speed of jerome will increase

so the net speed of jerome will be given as

now the speed of paul will be same as it is given as he is running on the ground

so

so here we can say since the speed of jerome is more so he will win the race

now as we know the distance so the time difference is given as

so jerome will reach first and the time difference will be 203.55 s or 3.4 min