On Satuday, under grey skies and a fairly strong and bitingly cold South East wind, the field got under way upstream of the Alfiesdrift low level bridge, by being able to paddle straight over the top of it!

John Hishin, Drum Beat Photography 

PW Basson and Lance King, winners of the 40 km, Alfiesdrif – Silverstrand K2 

Immediately, a large group of approximately 7 K2’s formed up and it remained pretty much so until after about 10 minutes of paddling and with the Scherpenheuwel Koptjie coming into sight, the field split when Ernest van Riet/Heinrich Schloms (US/Prl) and Peter Cole/Steve Farrell (Pen), took the wrong option and went right, effectively splitting the bunch which re-formed into 3 racing diamonds when they eventually got back into the main stream.In the meantime, White/Solomon (Pen) Basson/King (Prl/Mil), Birkett/McMartin (UCT/Cty), Human/Fly (Out/US) kept up the pace and it was by terrific effort and guile that van Riet/Schloms managed to get back onto the front bunch which then split once again on approaches to the compulsory portage at the Eilandia Weir, about 17 kms into the race. Shortly after the weir, a shortcut that had opened up on river left which cut out the big left hand loop, but only if correct options were taken – but that it meant not getting stuck in gthe branches! – further split the racing bunches as canoes were forced to take gaps in the foliage one at a time.

The front 3 canoes of White/Solomon. Basson/King and van Riet/Schloms then traded places until Goree Weir when the narrow channel below the weir forced crews to follow one another. However, in the big, roller-coaster ride down from the weir to the ’Gap’, these 3 boats came together and remained that way until the low level bridge in the ‘Silverstrand Sneak’ when Solomon/White got momentarily stuck going over the bridge, allowing the other two crews to get away from them. However, the drama was not yet over as van Riet/Schloms tried to find a short-cut out of the ‘Silverstrand Sneak by taking a left channel shortly before the Sneak re-enters the main river, cnly to get stuck in the trees. Basson/King re-entered the main river ahead of White/Solomon whio had soted out their problem on the bridge and in the strong flow and short distance (400 m) to the end, were able to easily hold off the challege to win by 7 secons. van Riet/Schloms.

Results;

Top Ten

1. Pieter-Willem Basson/Lance King (Prl/Mil) 2 hours 18 minutes 01 seconds

2. Gavin White/Graeme Solomon (Pen) 2:18:08

3. Ernest van Riet/Heinrich Schloms (US/Prl) 2:19:30

4. Andrew Birkett/Richard McMartin (UCT/Cty) 2:23:56

5. James Birkett/Alasdair Glass (UCT/Pen) 2:24:06

6. Cornelius Human/Richard Fly (Out/US) 2:25:35

7. Chris de Waal/Frohann Visser (Mil/SSW) 2:27:24

8. Rory Cole/Henri van der Merwe (Pen) 2:28:30

9. Matthew van Heerden/Greg van Heerden (US/Mil) 2:30:15

10. Peter Cole/Steve Farrell (Pen) 2:30:52

Senior Women   

1. Mandy Simpson/ Robyn Henderson (Mil) 2:49:16

2. Jemma Hofmeyer (Pen) 2:50:07

Juniors (U18’s)

1. Marissa Pretorius/Michael Pretorius (Mil) 2:44:10

2. Morne Jumani (US) 3:20:P58

Sub Veterans

1. Chris de Waal/Frohann Visser (Mil/SSW) 2:27:24

2. Rory Cole/Henri vam der Merwe (Pen) 2:28:30

3. Marcel Basson/Justin Swart (WHR) 2:41:13

Veterans

1. Duncan McIvor/Mike Duffus (Pen) 2:37:14

2. Quinton Miller (Pen) 2:39:24

3. Kevin Bouwer/Adam Whittingto (Mil) 2:45:16

Sub Masters

1. Daantjie Malan/Johan Swart (US/EVP) 2:34:59

2. Nicky Rockey/Graham Rowe (Pen) 2:35:57

3. Glen Trueb (Pen) 2:36:17

Masters

1. Rene Boehm/Louis Olivier (Sim/Mil) 2:56:52

Sub Grandmasters

1. Rob MacLean/Andre Rabie (Pen/Prl) 2:31:38

Grandmasters.

1. Roelof van Riet/Andre Collins (Mil) 2:35:35

2. Angus Hemp/Charles Meclk (Pen/Mil) 3:07:30