Download Results HERE:

After a week of heavy downpours, which raised rivers levels in the province to high levels and had the highways and by-ways of the Cape a-buzz with motor vehicles carrying the short, plastic play-boats of the white water kayaking community as they went looking for good water  - and there was plenty of it, in just about any ‘sloot’ that was around - there was an air of anticipation over the scheduled canoe race on the Berg River for Saturday 15^th, as it was to be a Novices event and the last thing that the WCCU Exco. wanted was a river in full flood carrying a group of beginner canoeists along its foamy path. 

Waiting for the start (Drumbeat Photography)

The section chosen, between the Dal Josephat Bridge in Paarl and the Lady Loch Bridge just outside Wellington, is an 18 km section that is most often used by canoeing coaches and instructors to introduce beginners to the sport of river paddling as it has on it many of the obstacles that one comes across on a WCCU President’s Trophy race – a small weir or two; some small rapids; some big left and right hand bends with accompanying overhanging branches; fast flowing water; swirlies; friendly and not so friendly ‘V’s; ‘S’ bends and of course, a bit of distance to get beginners to start to get the feel of being on a flowing river for more than an hour of paddling.   

Francois Roux (Drumbeat Photography)

Fortunately for the organizers, the river level had dropped somewhat by the time the race was due to start, but it was still flowing very fast and in many places, had burst its banks. This was borne out by the fact that a new record was set for this section – Rob Hart, a Sub Master from Peninsula Canoe Club, covered the section in 44 minutes 31 seconds, to eclipse Lance King’s mark, but being an experienced paddler, Rob wasn’t the winner of the race, because that went to the first novice home to Lady Loch Bridge. This also would have one realise that the rains came early w.r.t. to this race this year as it is normally raced off at a low level – a level considered much more ideal for novices that what was served up on Saturday!

Dirk Henkermans & Paul Notron of UCT (Drumbeat Photography) 

Notwithstanding the higher-than-normal levels, the race was still held and almost all who entered – and it posted a very good entry number of some 147 paddlers – completed it without too much difficulty. Sure, there were plenty of swimmers and not all novices either! (no names or pack drill to avoid embarrassment – you know who you are! – but good for novices to see that more experienced paddler do still take the off swim from time-to-timer such is the nature of canoe racing on rivers), but with the surfeit of experienced paddlers who made themselves available to ‘sweep’ the field (many thanks to all of you for doing such a wonderful and necessary job), no serious situations occurred and anyway, even if one stays upright in one’s canoe for the entire race, one is still just as wet on reaching the end as those who may have taken a swim (or two!).

Say no more (Drumbeat photography)

So, all in all, an excellent day of novice racing, on a river of classic proportions, on a day that only Bolanders’ and Western Cape river paddlers can really appreciate and one which will hopefully persuade those many beginners who took part in it to continue with this awesome recreation.

Herbert Conradie-race organiser and sweep (Drumbeat photography)

Results:

1st novice lady    Shannon MacLean

2nd novice lady   Suzanne Malan

3rd novice lady    Desiree van Riet

1st novice man    Michael Pretorius

2nd novice man   Jaco Schoeman

3rd novice man    Marc Baleta

(These stand to be corrected, for, as anyone will know, trying to sort out novices from not-so-novices in the short time available between the end of the race and the prize-giving, is challenging. Once President’s Trophy races begin (from next week), with up-to-date data for all the age-group categories, more detailed and correct results will follow).