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80 or so canoeists were treated to prefect weather, albeit on a fairly low Breede River, when they raced in 2^nd Annual Viljoensdrift Wacky Wine Route K1 canoe race over the 26 kms between the Goree Weir and Viljoensdrift. So good was the weather, that the low river levels did little the reduce the enthusiasm of the paddlers who lined up, upstream of the Goree Weir. Starter, Paul Watson, setting the paddlers off at 10h30. And away the field went, upstream from the weir to a turning buoy set at about 800m into the race, before turning and racing back to the weir, which at these low levels, had to be portaged. 

A leading group of 8 paddlers (Matie, Pierre-Andre Rabie, Peninsula’s Graeme Solomon, Paarl’s Heinrich Schloms, Matie Ernest van Riet, Peninsula’s Sean Rice and Patrick Birkett and UCT’s Andrew Birkett) got over the weir quickly and using 2 of the 3 possible channels through the extensive reed beds and trees below it, opened up a gap on the rest of the field. On the long ‘down slope’ of a relatively benign ‘rollercoaster’ rapid to the mountain ‘gap’, it was Solomon who cracked on the pace to lead the field into the compulsory ‘sneak’ about 5 kms into the race, taking the field down to the Silwerstrand pool. At the low-level bridge in this ‘sneak’, Solomon made his break from the bunch to go past Silwerstrand Resort in the lead, although Matie Pierre-Andre Rabie was cracking on the pace to slowly reel him in and catching Solomon at the 2^nd compulsory portage of the race – the Silwerstrand Weir, where paddlers had to carry over the wall on river right.

A very quick portage saw Solomon breakaway again to be first under the McGregor Bridge a further kilometre downstream of the weir, although the chasing bunch of Rabie, Schloms, van Riet and Rice started to pull him in, the low water levels taking its toll on the heavier built Peninsula paddler. A kilometre or two downstream of the McGregor Bridge, Solomon was caught to make it a 5 canoe bunch which meant that one paddler would always be ‘scratching’ and in this way, Rice was worked off the wave above the ‘Kekkel ‘n Kraai’ weir as the leading 4 canoes started to up the pace for the finish line that was only another 4 km on.

On entering the ‘pool’ above the Viljoensdrift sliding weir, where the water is dammed some 3 kms back up the river, the increased pace saw van Riet loose contact as Solomon, Schloms and Rabie sprinted for the line. And it was in this sprint, with mere metres to go, when paddles clashed between Solomon and Schloms, slowing them down, to allow Rabie to pass them, on the outside (!) to win the event. Solomon place 2^nd, Schloms 3^rd.

In the Senior Women’s event, the top paddlers up to this point in the season had opted either to trip the Berg River in preparation for the big event in July; study for examinations or return home for the university vacation, leaving Peninsula stalwart, Jemma Hofmeyer to claim the women’s honours, with Milnerton’s Robyn Henderson in 2^nd place followed by Paarl’s Helene Rabie, in 3^rd.

Paarl Canoe Club’s junior paddlers put in a very good showing with U16 paddler, Luke Stowman racing to an excellent 11^th position overall, his club mate, albeit an U18 paddler, Joseph Williams coming home in 15^th position whilst another Paarl U18 Junior, Diviano Pieterson was 3^rd junior home in 23^rd position overall.

All paddlers were in agreement that this was a 1^st class race on a perfect day and complimented by the visitors to the Viljoensdrift Wacky Wine festival marquee, who loudly cheered the paddlers home at the end of the race, the paddlers mostly returning the favour by getting down to some mighty ‘kuiering’ as the afternoon progressed into the eventide!

Results. The Viljoensdrift sponsored, Breede River K1 26 km canoe race, from Goree Weir to Viljoensdrift, Saturday 5^th June, 2010.

Senior Men.

1. Pierre-Andre Rabie (Maties) 1 hour 49 minutes 03 seconds.

2. Graeme Solomon (Peninsula) 1:49:07

3. Heinrich Schloms (Paarl) 1:49:14

Senior Women

1. Jemma Hofmeyer (Peninsula) 2:13:36 – 32^nd overall.

2. Robyn Henderson (Milnerton) 2:16:28 – 41^st.

3. Helene Rabie (Paarl) 2:17:50

Juniors

1. Luke Stowman (Paarl) 1:56:15 – 11^th

2. Joseph Williams (Paarl) 2:00:05 – 15^th.

3. Diviano Pieterson (Paarl) 2:04:26 – 23^rd.

Under 21.

1. Pierre-Andre Rabie (Maties) 1:49:03 – 1^st.

2. Sean Rice (Peninsula) 1:50:09 – 5^th.

3. Andrew Birkett (UCT) 1:53:41 – 7^th.

Sub Veterans

1. Graeme Solomon (Peninsula) 1:49:07 – 2^nd.

2. Pieter du Plessis (Maties) 2:09:29 – 27^th.

3. Marius Breytenbach (Paarl) 2:16:15 – 39^th.

Veterans

1. Frohann Visser (Maties) 1:59:06 – 12^th.

2. Joe Kearney (Peninsula) 2:00:03 – 13^th.

3. Herbert Conradie (Paarl) 2:00:04 – 14^th.

Sub Masters

1. Chris de Waal (Milnerton) 1:55:14 – 10^th.

2. Etienne Buys (Paarl) 2:10:31 – 29^th.

3. Jason Wallace (Peninsula) 2:36:35 – 66^th.

Masters

1. Daantjie Malan (Maties) 2:04:12 – 22^nd.

2. Francois du Toit (Paarl) 2:17:45 – 42^nd.

3. Francis Steyn (Peninsula) 2:17:49 – 43^rd.

Sub Grandmasters.

1. Rob MacLean (Peninsula) 2:03:25 – 20^th.

2. Christo Smit (Milnerton) 2:07:26 – 25^th.

3. Anthony Penderis (Maties) 2:13:42 – 33^rd.

Grandmaster.

1. Edgar Boehm (Peninsula) 2:38:33 – 69^th.

K2’s.

1. Barry and Julie Coltham (Peninsula/Peninsula).

2. David and Mert Black (UCT/Peninsula) .

3. Tatum Sieler and Stuart Birch (Peninsula/Peninsula).