The annual Nekkies-Alvi’s Drift Novices canoe race was held on the Breede River on Saturday 6^th March, 2010 in excellent conditions – the weather was very hot (over 40 degrees in Worcester) but on the river and with adequate water flowing because of water release from the Brandvlei Dam, it was ideal for the predominantly novice field that took part. There were also a fair number of experienced paddlers who either used the occasion as a training paddle, or made themselves available as sweeps (and they were needed too!).

Download results HERE

Sponsored by Alvi’s Drift Wines and hosted by the Stellenbosch Canoe Club, the club made good it’s promise to only award prizes to Novice paddlers and given that there were 77 craft on the river and about a 1/3^rd of them double canoes, it was a very good turn out for the first W.C.C.U. river race of the season.

The overall winner of the event was P-W Basson – Paarl CC (1 hour 9 minutes 37 seconds), with Matie club chairman, Pierre-Andre Rabie on his slip, Gavin White (Peninsula CC) being in 3^rd position, but was to the Novices that everyone was looking. In their number were a number of well known names – Enslin van Riet, one of a trio of famous brothers (the other two are of course, Willem and Roelof) who all held Springbok Canoe Colours back in the 1970’s, has come out of retirement and paddled with his daughter, Desire; Shannon MacLean (Rob’s daughter), paddling a K2 with Cleo Foster, were the first all Novice crew to complete the race (and a lady crew at that!) whilst Olivia Davis, Felix Unite’s daughter, was the 1^st lady Novice to complete the race in a K1!

The U.C.T. and Matie Canoe Club’s provided the bulk of the Novice paddlers for the race and it is hoped therefore that there will be a resurgence of interest amongst university paddlers in forthcoming seasons – especially U.C.T., the Matie Club, being an Open club being able to rely on older, more experienced paddlers to keep the ball rolling – or should that be, ‘paddles flailing’.