Download full results HERE

The Rooiberg Winery, Breede River Nekkies to Eilandia K2 (doubles) canoe race, over 27 km, was held on Saturday 14^th August, 2010, in perfect weather and on a medium high Breede River in the Worcester area.

This event, part of the K2 races leading up to the Breede River K2 canoe marathon on 4^th/5^th September (and paddlers are reminded that entries for the marathon close of 25^th August), was another excellent lead-up race to get partnerships ‘clicking’ and canoes prepared for this iconic event that in 2010 will be its 43^rd running.

The race began in the pool below the Nekkies caravan camp and from the start it was going to be a dice between the race favourites, Ernest van Riet/Heinrich Schloms (Maties/Paarl) and the Peninsula duo of paddling veteran and a former multiple winner of the Breede River Canoe Marathon, Paul Marais, and the younger, but equally potent, Alasdair Glass. At the first drop/rapid just 800 m from the start, these two canoes broke away as the field was forced to take the drop either one or two canoes at a time and they steadily pulled away from the chasing bunch until shortly before the first weir (15 minutes into the race) of the section, Marais/Glass made an uncharacteristic mistake by taking an incorrect channel, allowing van Riet/Schloms to get away. The race was now on for Marais/Glass to chase down van Riet/Schloms, but given their class (and that they are currently one of the two SA Senior men’s crews for the World Canoe Marathon Championships to be held in Spain in a little over a months time) this would only really happen if they made a mistake. And this they did at the portage to get around the Alves Drift low level bridge (at the16 km mark of the race) when van Riet/Schloms opted to take-out on river right only to find their way barred by a barbed wire fence. Marais/Glass made good on this mistake, pushing their canoe under the bridge and so were able to exit the obstacle on the slip of the race leaders for the final 11 km, the race ending in a sprint finish with van Riet/Schloms winning by 1 second over Marais/Glass.

Lance King (Milnerton), racing in a K1, showed his class by tracking the two leading canoes all the way, to end in 3^rd place over all and less than 10 seconds behind the winners.

In the hotly contested and popular mixed doubles category, Edgar Boehm jnr/Megan Kelly (Pen/Pen) took out almost 2 minutes on the brother/sister mixed double of Maties Robyn and Lance Kime, whilst Ian Trautman/Natascha Bracale (Pen/Pen) were the 3^rd mixed double, although they had to contend with having taken the wrong option after Alves Drift, when they followed the flow into the dead-end channel that the race organizer had warned paddlers about in the race briefing at the start.

The SA Senior women’s K2 for the World’s in Spain next month, Lindi-May Harmsen/Abie Adi (Milnerton/KZN) struggled a bit with the course, being unfamiliar with it, but nevertheless were well ahead of 2^nd placed Jackie Barnes/Jemma Hofmeyer (UCT/Pen) who may have challenged but for an unfortunate long swim at the very first drop/rapid of the race. 3rd was the Veteran women’s crew of Lis Hart/Lisa Scott (Pen/Mil).

The 1^st juniors home were Michal Farringer/Emile Minnaar (Prl/Prl), followed by the mixed double of siblings Marisa and Michael Pretorius (Mil/Mil), whilst in the U21 category, the UCT brothers, Andrew and James Birkett were 1^st, Matie siblings Robyn and Lance Kime 2^nd and Maties Michael Hay/Tamika Haw were 3^rd.

As mentioned above, the 1^st K1 home was Lance King (Mil - 3^rd over all), 2^nd was Peter Cole on a river-ski (Pen – 20^th overall) and 3^rd single in was Daniel Kantor (Mil – 26^th overall)

With 77 canoes on the water, most being K2’s, this was a very good turn out and the sponsors, Rooiberg Winery, made their comfortable and popular winery/restaurant venue available for the prize giving – hearty thanks to them and the for prizes that they put up for the various category winners.  

Results:

Senior Men.

1. Ernest van Riet/Heinrich Schloms, Maties/Paarl,- 1 hour 46 minutes 37 seconds.

2. Paul Marais/Alasdair Glass, Pen/Pen – 1:46:38

3. Andrew Birkett/James Birkett, UCT/UCT - 1:52:45

4. Rob Hart/Richard Kohler, Pen/Mil – 1:52:46

5. Etienne Rawlinson/Marius Harmsen, Mil/Mil – 1:56:41

6. Edgar Boehm jnr/Megan Kelly, Pen/Pen – 1:56:42

7. Herbert Conradie/Gary Cromie, Prl/SOS – 1:58:29

8. Robyn Kime/Lance Kime, Maties/Maties – 1:58:31

9. Michael Watson/Mzamo-Wayne August, UCT/Prl – 1:58:58

10. Rob Maclean/André’ Rabie, Pen/Prl – 1:58:59

Senior Women

1. Lindi-May Harmsen/Abie Adi, Mil/KZN – 2:06:16 (17^th overall)

2. Jackie Barnes/Jemma Hofmeyer, UCT/Pen – 2:12:21 25^th)

3. Lisa Scott/Lis Hart, Mil/Pen – 2:19:53 (37^th)

Juniors

1. Michael Farringer/Emile Minnaar, Prl/Prl -2:05:46

2. Maris Pretorius/Michael Pretorius, Mil/Mil – 2:08:09

U21

1. Andrew Birkett/James Birkett, UCT/UCT – 1:52:45 (4^th)

2. Robyn Kime/Lance Kime, Maties/Maties – 1:58:31

3. Michael Hay/Tamika Haw, Maties/Maties – 2:11:31

Sub Veterans

1. Dale Lewis/Sean Hooper, CTY/Mil – 2:16:27 (33^rd)

2. Jaco Schoeman/Gavin de Klerck, CTY/CTY – 2:21;37

Veterans

1. Rob Hart/Richard Kohler, Pen/Mil – 1:52:46 (5^th)

2. Herbert Conradie/Gary Cromie, Prl/SOS – 1:58:29

3. Lisa Scott/Lis Hart, Mil/Pen – 2:19:53 (37^th)

Veteran Ladies

1. Lisa Scott/Lis Hart, Mil/Pen – 2:19:53 (37^th)

Sub Masters

1. Mynhardt Marais/Daantjie Malan, Prl/Maties – 2:04:04 (13^th)

2. Christo Smit/Ross Meyer, Mil/Mil – 2:13:56 (29^th)

3. Donnie Malherbe/Hanre’ Streicher, Prl/Maties – 2:16:19 (32^nd)

Masters

1. Giel van Deventer/Francois du Toit, Prl/Prl – 2:08:12 (19th)

2. Mike Monson/Ian Glass, Pen/Pen – 2:12:21 (24^th)

3. Eric Farringer/Francis Steyn, Prl/Prl – 2:18:41 (36^th)

Sub Grandmasters

1. Rob MacLean/Andre’ Rabie, Pen/Prl – 1:58:59 (11^th)

2. Enslin van Riet/Anthony Penderis, Mil/Maties – 2:15:01 (30^th)

3. Johnny Smuts/Mike English, Pen/Pen – 2:16:28 (34^th)

Grandmasters

1. Peter Unite/Gerfried Nebe, Pen/Pen – 2:13:33 (17^th)

2. Angus Hemp/Charles Melck, Pen/Mil – 2:23:54

K1’s – singles

1. Lance King, Mil – 1:46:44 (3^rd)

2. Peter Cole, Pen – 2:08:14 (20^th)