The Rooiberg Cellars, 28 km K2 (doubles) WC.C.U. canoe race on the Breede River between Nekkies Resort and Eilandia, was raced in exceptionally good weather - perfect in fact - and on a river that was medium to high in level and therefore ideal for all 111 paddlers taking part - the majority (44) in K2's, the remainder, 23, in K1's. This event also signalled the first of the K2 races on the Breede River - the traditional venue for K2 racing in the Western Cape, last weekends K2 race having been on an interesting and technical section of the Berg River. 

Under a cloudless sky, race organizer, Herbert Conradie, Paarl Canoe Club, gave the paddlers their instructions on what they might encounter on the race - in particular, a weir about 20  minutes after the start, numerous channels between islands and thickly forested sections of the river and a low-level bridge, Alfies Drift, about an hour into the race. The two 'major' obstacles, the weir and the low-level bridge were deemed 'shootable', and so the paddlers lined up in anticipation of a good race.

The first real obstacle of the race, a short, steep rapid about 400 m after the start prove to be no hindrance to the top paddlers, but it certainly caused some consternation to others, paddling in the middle and to the back of the field, when a number of canoes either capsized in the cold water or were spun out in the eddies below and to the side of it. But the front bunches had no problems and proceeded to get on with the race. A front bunch of 4 crews - Gavin White/Graeme Solomon (Peninsula), Ernest van Riet/Heindrich Schloms (Stel/Paarl), Pieter-Willem Basson/Lance King (Paarl/Milnerton) and Richard McMartin/Rory van Zyl (UCT/Pen), set the pace and broke away from the Birkett brother (Patrick and Andrew - Pen/UCT) and Chris de Waal/Frohann Visser (Mil/SSW).

This leading bunch kept together throughout the early part of the race - over the weir, through the channels approaching and under the R43 high-level bridge (to Villiersdorp), before McMartin and van Zyl dropped off as the race entered the next set of channels about 2 km down from the bridge. The race was now 'on', as these 3 crews traded leading the bunch and in many cases, had to paddle in 'follow-my-leader' style, so narrow were the lines through the channels.

At the Alfies Drift low level bridge (11 kms from the end), White and Solomon opted to shoot it on the right, whilst the other two crews went left and were then forced to play catch-up until the 'false turn' on river left about 20 minutes below the bridge was reached. Here the river appears to flow to the left around a large clump of Palmiet, when in fact, once around that corner and following a sharp right turn, it disappears into a myriad of dead-ends as the river shifts its way through trees and bush - when the true way forward, an innocuous looking bush-choked channel about 20 m beyond and to the right of the Palmiet, is what paddlers should be looking for. The White/Solomon crew were lured towards this 'false turn' but fortunately realized their mistake when the other crews put on the pace, racing for the correct gap in the foliage and were forced to change direction and give chase, coming out of the channel behind the other two crews. (Unfortunately for a good number of paddlers further down the order, they did not realise their mistake in time, paddled left of the Palmiet and general chaos reigned in the blocked channel as they attempted to extricate themselves!). 

Between this obstacle and the end, all three crews worked hard at dominating and at the death, Basson/King, in 3rd position opted to paddle to the left of the island at the end of the race to make up time, but were beaten to the line by White/Solomon, who out-sprinted van Riet/Schloms by 3 seconds to win the first of the Breede K2 races in the 2009 season.   

The 1st Women's crew home was the Veteran Ladies partnership of Lis Hart/ Romy Findley (Peninsula), followed by Jemma Hofmeyer (Pen) in a K2,  (her K2 partner, Robyn Kime - Stel - opting to race in KZN over the long weekend), with Lize Kriel and Helen Rabie (Paarl) filling the 3rd placed women's position.

Rob Hart/Tina Gallagher (Pen) were the first Mixed Doubles home, followed by Herbert Conradie/Elsabe Conradie (Paarl), before the father.daughter combination of Frank Mallows/Bev Mallows took 3rd position.

So ended a virtually perfect race for all - excellent weather and river conditions and a generous sponsor in Rooiberg Cellars.

The scene is no well set for the remaining series of K2 races on the Breede - 4 of them - before the annual Breede River K2 canoe marathon that will take place on 5th/6th September, 2009.

Top Ten.

1. Gavin White/Graeme Solomon (Peninsula Canoe Club) 1 hour 37 minutes 47 seconds.

2. Ernest van Riet/Heinrich Schloms (Stel/Paarl) 1:37:50.

3. Pieter-Willem Basson/Lance King (Paarl/Mil) 1:37:56

4. Andrew Birkett/Patrick Birkett (UCT/Pen) 1:41:44

5. Richard McMartin/Rory van Zyl (Cty/Pen) 1:41:45

6. Chris de Waal/Frohann Visser (Mil/SSW) 1:41:46.    1st Sub Veterans

7. Rob MacLean/Andre Rabie (Pen/Paarl) 1:44:43         1st Sub Grandmasters

8. Shaun Griffin (UCT) 1:47:37                                     1st U23/1st K1

9. Ivan Kruger (Mil) 1:48:03                                          1st U18

10. Matthew van Heerden/Greg van Heerden (Stel/Mil) 1:51:12.

Senior Men

1. Gavin White/Graeme Solomon (Pen) 1:37:47

2. Ernest van Riet/Heinrich Schloms (Stel/Paarl) 1:37:50.

3. P-W Basson/Lance King (Paarl/Mil) 1:37:56

Senior Women

1. Lis Hart/Romy Findlay (Pen) 1:59:09

2.Jemma Hofmeyer (Pen) 2:03:25

3. Lize Kriel/Helene Rabie (Paarl) 2:03:44

U18,

1. Ivan Kruger (Mil) 1:48:03

2. Marissa Pretorius/Michael Pretorius (Mil) 2:31:13

3. Pieter van der Westhuyzen (WHR) 2:54:14

U23

1. Shaun Griffin (UCT) 1:47:37

2. Adrian Cox (UCT) 2:02:31

3. Stuart MacWilliam (UCT) 2:07:52

Sub Veterans

1. Chris de Waal/Frohann Visser (Mil/SSW) 1:41:46

2. Herbert Conradie/Elsabe Conradie (Paarl) 1:55:28

3. Justin Swart/Marcell Basson (WHR) 1:55:30

Veterans

1. Rob Hart/Tina Gallagher (Pen) 1:55:26

2. Alan Rainnie/Eugene Roodman (Pen) 1:55:49

3. Guy Glanvill/Mark Dykes (Mil) 1:58:09

Sub Masters

1. Daantjie Malan/Johan Swart (Stel) 1:53:59

2. Kevin Bouwer (Mil) 1:59:14

3. Mark Preen/Jason Wallace (Pen/Blu) 2:03:54

Masters

1. Francois du Toit/Neil Bartie (Paarl) 1:55:37

2. Gavin Finch (Pen) 2:08:59

3. Veronica Jones/Colin Miller (Pen) 2:16:07

Sub Grandmasters

1. Rob MacLean/Andre Rabie (Pen/Paarl) 1:44:43

2. Rene Boehm/Peter Calitz (Sim/Pen) 1:58:08

3. Russell MacWilliam/Barry Penn (Pen) 2:02:38

Grandmasters

1. Giel van Deventer (Paarl) 1:53:52

2. Angus Hemp/Charles Melck (Pen/Mil) 2:05:40

3. Peter Tucker (Pen) 2:09:30.