African Canoe Polo Championship will be held at the V&A Waterfront Canal, Cape Town on the 1^st & 2^nd October 2011

The Championship will include:

-        World Champs qualifying game between South Africa and Namibia

-        Interprovincial tournament

-        Hands on exhibition from Stand-Up Paddling (SUP) and Dragon Boat racing

Durban – Hank McGregor snagged his third Dunlop Surfski World Cup title showing the rich vein of form he is in at the moment beating a very powerful field and an uncooperative flat ocean to comfortably win the 26km race and the hefty R40000 winner’s prize.

                  Hank McGregor (pic by Anthony Grote/ Gameplan Media)

18km into the race, as the new world record field of paddlers snaked past the Umhlanga lighthouse, the contest had been reduced to a two horse affair with McGregor and defending champ Dawid Mocké trading blows like heavyweight fighters.

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The Swartland Canoe Marathon (doubling as the 2011 S.A. K1 River Marathon Championships)  was held on Friday 17th and Saturday 18th June, during a “window” of good weather (north west gale force wind, rain and a cold frontfor the 2 days before the event and the day after - how's that for timing?) which saw a full Berg River flowing at 35 cumecs at the start (Skooltjie, Wellington), ending at approximately 44 cumecs and 39km later at Zonquasdrift (end of Day 1), and at the start of Day 2, flowing at 40 cumecs and ending at 42 cumecs, 46km later at Bridgetown (end of Day 2). This on a river that the previous weekend was flowing at 8 cumecs! So, not only did the organizers get the weather for this event right on the button. (Day 1 was alternatively overcast and sunny, and  Day 2, was brilliant with blue skies and sunshine the whole day), but they also had very good and safe conditions on the river thanks to the hard work from PCC together with other local canoe clubs in clearing invasive alien trees which were blocking sections of the river.

Ladies Winner - Michelle Eray (Pic by CapeTown Sports Photography)

Men's Winner - Hank McGregor ( Pic by Cape Town Sports Photography)

Dubbed "Kelkiewyn" the fibreglass and canvas rudderless kayak took Nollie Meiring to victory in the inaugural race from Paarl to the West Coast.

Meiring however was summarily banned by the South African Canoe Federation for transgressing his amateur status for winning the shiny red VW Beetle that he received as winner of the first Berg.

Lionel "Lonkie" Ekermans

The WP team selected from the Trial (Gouda –Bridgetown K1) on Saturday to represent WP at the SA K1/Swartland Canoe Marathon is listed below.  Paddlers are welcome to paddle in their WP colours as part of the WP team.  Should you not have a WP paddling top and are keen to purchase one pls contact Laura 084 700 27 42, they are available at R100 each.   

WP Team for SA K1/Swartland Canoe Marathon (Read more)