Theron and Cruikshanks take SA title on low Umkomaas

Gauteng paddlers, Jacques Theron and Piers Cruikshanks scored a controversial win the Stihl Umkomaas SA K2 River Championships on Sunday. Having raced neck and neck for two days with the 2009 winning KZN pair of Hank McGregor and Grant van der Walt, the two boats came together in the narrow channel through the final rapid just above the finish at Josephine’s Bridge. Side by side in a rough rapid is no place to be under any circumstances with limited room to maneuver and reduced boat control. In the jostling and clashing of paddles that followed both boats were almost upset with McGregor and van der Walt finally falling out, leaving the quickly recovering Theron and Cruikshanks to speed away to victory. The incident was the subject of a post race objection, with the race jury judging that no unfair play had occurred and the upsetting of McGregor and van der Walt was a result of a normal river racing situation.

Gauteng representation in this race is always strong, but this was the first Gauteng win since the last of a long string of victories by Robbie Herreveld and Graham Monteith in 2000.

On Day one of the two day epic, from Josephine’s Bridge to Riverside store, these two crews were kept company all the way to the finish by the Birkett brothers Chris and Andrew with just 9 seconds separating them. However, on Sunday the brothers damaged their boat in the testing section from Hella Hella through the numbered rapids 1 to 9 and had to make do with a final fifth position. Ant Stott and Shaun Biggs, both previous winners of the race but never together, finished Day 1 with Jason Graham and Shaun Griffin, almost eight minutes behind the leaders. On Sunday they proved their worth through the difficult top section of the river to claim third place overall and record the best time for Day 2, almost a minute and a half faster than the winners. Griffin and Graham took the forth place.

The Inter-provincial team trophy went to the KZN team of McGregor, van der Walt, Stott and Biggs.

Predictably, Abby Adie and Hillary Pitchford held off a spirited challenge in the women’s race to win from Debbie Germiquet and Angelique Mulder. Matthew Heenan and Jeremy Bradford survived the challenge to take the junior title.

Ant Stott won the coveted Daily News Grand Slam trophy from Jason Graham with the best combined times in one season for the Landrover 50 Miler, the Hansa PoweradeDusi and the Stihl Umkomaas.

W.C.C.U. was represented by a few die-hard Umko. fans in the persons of Beetle Bailey, Nick Longley, Rob MacLean and Justin Swart – a pity as this river is surely a ‘must’ for any river paddler in this country. More WCCU paddlers should follow this lead because they wont be disappointed as not only is this river (normally) a big-water experience, it also traverses some of the finest scenery in South Africa. Unfortunately, this year, the river was unseasonably low, which accounted for a high attrition rate amongst the canoes, MacLean and his partner, KZN’s Mat Carlisle splitting a seam in the notorious Rapid 5 & 6 – ending their lead in the Sub Grandmasters category, whilst Swart and his KZN partner, Barry Lewin, re-designed the nose of their canoe to such an extent that when they finally crossed the line at the end of day 2, they looked more like one of the SA Navy’s new submarine acquisitions! Beetle Bailey, paddling with Gauteng’s Antja Manfroni, were 2^nd in the Mixed Doubles category, whilst Nick Longley, paddling his father, SA canoeing legend, Brian, was the best of the Cape entries, being the first Veterans home and in 13^th position overall.

The race was run on the lowest river level recent memory with the mighty Umkomaas trickling along at just 10cumecs in warm sunny conditions on Day 1 and cloudy and cool with occasional drizzle on Day 2.

Results.

Overall K2

1. Jacques Theron and Piers Cruikshanks DAB(GA) 4:36:07,

2. Hank McGregor and Grant van der Walt KIN(KZ) 4:36:56,

3. Ant Stott and Shaun Biggs NAT-CAN(KZ) 4:42:40,

4. Shaun Griffin and Jason Graham MIC-NGW(KZ) 4:50:09,

5. Andrew Birkett and Chris Birkett(U21) UKN(KZ) 4:52:50.

Women

Hillary Pitchford and Abby Adie NAT(KZ) 5:29:12, 2. Debbie Germiquet and Angelique Mulder UMZ-KIN(KZ) 5:48:25.

1st JNR Matthew Heenan and Jeremy Bradford MIC(KZ) 6:31:36

1st SV Warren Valentine and Marc Germiquet NAT-UMZ(KZ) 4:53:26

1st V Mark Shuter and Rory Attridge DAB(GA) 5:21:17

1st SM Mark Perrow and Rod Penaluna CAN-DAB 5:49:11.

1st M Graeme Pope-Ellis and Nibs Taylor KIN-EST(KZ) 5:34:55

1st SGM Rory Pennefather and Hubby Sandburg NAT_KNY 5:40:01

1st GM Deryck Armour and Mike Nicolas JCC(GA) 7:28:43

1st Mixed Marco Magni and Sarah Saunders DABS-SOW(GA) 5:36:48