The annual Gouda - Bridgetown K2 canoe races, this year sponsored by Hippo Rock clothing manufactures, Paarl, and which heralds the beginning of the W.C.C.U. K2 (doubles) season on the rivers of the region each year, was raced in excellent conditions yesterday morning. Over 100 paddlers were treated to a full river, no wind and initially cool and misty conditions before later clearing to sunshine and blue skies. What paddler could have asked for more?

DOWNLOAD RESULTS

With the high volume flow, the winning crews of Graeme Solomon/Lance King (Peninsula and Milnerton Canoe Clubs) and Ernest van Riet/Heinrich Schloms (Stellenbosch), blitzed the 28 kilometres in 1 hour 41 minutes and 53 and 55 seconds respectively. Given that the top 13 canoes across the line were all in under the 2 hour mark, is evidence not only of the speed of the current, but also the fact that these higher river levels opened up a number of 'sneaks' and channels not normally paddle-able, so helping canoeists to these super fast times. That said, it must also be noted that any capsizes are heavily punished in such conditions as river banks required to gain a foothold from which canoes can be righted and emptied are usually far from where the main current is and the higher and faster flows also bring down more debris which can effectively clog known channels, thus making them much more dangerous.

The race, started earlier than anticipated after some confusion in the mist, saw a classic diamond of top crews get away from the field from as early as the first obstacle - the bushes across the river about 200 m from the start line - they being the aforementioned Solomon/King and van Riet/Schloms crews, along with the new combinations of Pete Cole/Steve Farrell (Pen) and Pieter-Willem Basson/Mynhardt Marais (Paarl - P-W being the son of a two-time Berg River champion and Marais being a Berg River champion). The (infamous) Black Rock Rapid was inundated. so not an obstacles at all and so these 4 crews were able to work together until shortly before the approaches to the Train Bridge (the half way point) when Cole/Farrell and Basson/Marais fell off the pace, leaving Solomon/King and van Riet/Schloms to battle it out to the finish at Bridgetown. Over the remaining 14 kilometres, the lead changed hands on several occasions as the crews sought out faster 'sneaks' and channels, but it finally came down to a flat-out, 'voet-in-die-hoek' sprint finish down the final long flat before the chequered flag was reached, Solomon/King claiming victory by the narrowest of margins, van Riet/Schloms being on their slip.

In the ladies section, Jemma Hofmeyer and Jackie Barnes (Pen), overcame a 10 minute plus swim when their boat capsized after the Train Bridge, holding off Romy Findlay and Samantha Bacon (Pen/UCT). who also took a swim in the turbulent waters of this Berg River section. More competition is envisaged in the ladies section from next week when the former World Canoe Marathon ladies silver medallists in 2006, Alexa Lombard and Donia Kamstra (Pen) renew their partnership, Donia having taken a break to become a Mom and Alexa to focus on international surf ski paddling. However, such is the class of these two paddlers, that the stakes will be raised in this section of the competition as the season moves towards the annual Breede River K2 Canoe Marathon (and this years S.A. Championships), a 2 day event over the weekend of 6th/7th September.

The Under 21 division was well won by Dane Sanvido and Sean Rice (Mil/Pen) from Andrew and James Birkett (UCT) in 5th and 7th places respectively.

Winners of the Junior division, Ivan Kruger and Bianca Beavitt (Mil) posted an excellent 11th place overall, and in doing so, also winning the Mixed doubles category from Richard Kohler/Judy Goodspeed (Mil) - 13th over all and Gordon Laing/Lisa Scott (Mil) in 14th position.

The event yesterday also set another milestone in canoe racing in the Western Cape, when 70 year old Charles Melck of Milnerton Canoe Club, raced in his 500th President's Trophy race. This makes him only the 4th paddler in the province, after Giel van Deventer, Edgar Boehm (snr) and the Berg 'Chief' Andre Collins, to reach this magical number. Giel van Deventer has in fact competed in and completed over 600 Presidents Trophy races (achieved in 2007), the only paddler to have ever achieved this remarkable statistic.

From next weekend onwards, the K2 races move to the Breede River as paddlers set their sights on the marathon at the end of the season.

Results = Top Ten

1. Graeme Solomon/Lance King - Pen/Mil - 1 hour 41 minutes and 53 seconds.

2. Ernest van Riet/Heinrich Schloms - Stellenbosch - 1:41:55

3. Peter Cole/Steve Farrell - Pen - 1:44:23

4. Pieter-Willem Basson/Mynhardt Marais - Paarl - 1: 46:40

5. Dane Sanvido/Sean Rice - Mil/Pen - 1:46:41

6. Cornelius Human/Richard Fly - Stel - 1:46:57

7. Andrew Birkett/James Birkett - UCT - 1:51:17

8. Herbert Conradie/Mzamo-Wayne August - Paarl - 1:53:11

9. Etienne Rawlinson/Christie Albertyn - Stel -  1:55:19

10. Lionel Eckermans/Rob MacLean - Mil/Pen - 1:55:22.

Juniors

1. Ivan Kruger/Bianca Beavitt - Mil.

Under 21.

1. Dane Sanvido/Sean Rice - Mil/Pen.

2. Andrew Birkett/James Birkett - UCT

3. Adrian Cox/Duncan MacWilliam - UCT/Temp.

Sub Veterans

1. Richard Kohler/Judy Goodspeed - Mil

2. Gordon Laing/Lisa Scott - Mil

3. Kevin Goodspeed/Craig Mockford - Mil

Veterans

1. Andre van Heerden/Andre van Rensburg - Mil

2. Louis Olivier/ Robyn Henderson - Mil

3. Mandy Simpson/Ralph Teulings - Mil/Cen

Sub Masters

1. Kevin Bouwer - Mil

2. Glen Trueb - Pen

Masters

1. Ian Glass - Pen

2. Russell Penny - Pen

Sub Grandmasters

1. Lionel Eckermans/Rob MacLean - Mil/Pen

2. Giel van Deventer - Paarl

3. Peter Unite - Pen

Grandmasters

1. Angus Hemp/Charles Melck - Pen/Mil.

Rob MacLean

Media Liaison - W.C.C.U.