For a canoeing province that is often derided by paddlers from further afield (especially KZN and Gauteng), because we do not have the ‘wilder’ rivers to race and paddle upon that they have (not so much Gauteng, but it is such a short trip to many of the very active KZN rivers for them, that they view themselves part and parcel of that grouping!), Western Cape paddlers acquitted themselves very well and upheld the excellent canoeing name of the province at the 29^th running of the annual Hansa/Powerade Fish River Canoe Marathon that was held in the Eastern Cape (Cradock) over the immediate past weekend, and on a fast-flowing and often wild stretch of river.

Not only did they record a very large number of entries (282 paddlers), they also made good inroads onto the winners podium in a number of categories – see list following.

The race itself was held in excellent conditions this year – i.e. without the mist and dust storms and freezing temperatures of several Fish marathons and as has been previously reported, was a particularly exciting race up at the ‘sharp end’ (i.e. the top placings overall). There were also many ‘races-within-races’ where the competition was no least fierce – just somewhat slower!

Those Western Cape paddlers that graced the podium – or who were called up to be congratulated – ranged from the Matie Men’s and Matie Women’s university teams who each won their respective S.A. Universities competitions that were run concurrently with the main race, down to several who were placed in the top 3 of their age category, or in the case of others, were in the Top Twenty overall, 5 of whom even placed in the Top Ten – excellent achievements indeed.

5^th overall– Pierre-Andre Rabie (Maties) and Andy Birkett (KZN) and 1^st U21’s

9^th overall – Gavin White/Zaren Courtney (Peninsula/Milnerton)

10^th overall – Lance King (Milnerton) with Mark Mulder (KZN)

11^th overall – Paul Marais/Alasdair Glass (Peninsula/Peninsula)

12^th overall – Edgar Boehm jnr/Joe Kearney (Pen/Pen)

13^th overall– Ivan Kruger (Milnerton) with Brandon van der Walt (KZN) and 1^st U18’s

15^th overall – AJ Bam/Rory Sandberg (Matie/Matie)

16^th overall – Lance Kime/Richard Fly (Matie/Matie)

20^th overall – Richard McMartin/James Birkett (UCT/UCT)

25^th overall - Robin Kime (Matie) with Michelle Eray (E.Cape) and 1st Senior Women.

31^st overall -  Herbert Conradie/Gary Cromie (Paarl/SOS)

43^rd overall – Joseph Williams/Diviano Pietersen (Paarl/Paarl) and 3^rd U18’s.

53^rd overall -  Richard Kohler/Tallon Denovan (Cty/Cty) and 2^nd Sub Veterans

54^th overall – Lindi-May Harmsen (Milnerton, Abby Adie (KZN) and 3^rd Senior Women.

61^st overall – Ian Glass/Shaun Butler (Pen/Pen) and 2^nd Masters.

66^th overall – Donovan Wewege/Michael Farringer (Paarl/Paarl) and 3^rd U16’s.

95^th overall – Rob MacLean/Andre’ Rabie (Pen/Paarl) and 1^st Sub Grandmasters

105^th overall – Chris de Waal/Lisa Scott (Mil/Mil) and 3^rd Mixed Doubles.

267^th overall Giel van Deventer (Paarl) Jannie Malherbe (OUT) and 3^rd Grandmasters

Not to be outdone by any of the above, special mention needs to made of that Fish River canoeing legend, Rory Anderson (Peninsula), who, paddling with ex-Pens paddler Owen Johnson (now Plettenberg Bay), competed in and completed his 29^th Fish River Canoe Marathon – the only paddler in the history of this wonderful race to have paddled every single ‘Fish’ that has been held since the race was started in 1982! Talking to Butch Louw (Chairman of the Fish River Canoe Marathon Committee for many years) after the race, Butch asked Rory the question of what will a paddler who has completed 30 Fish River Marathons be called? “If a paddler has done 10, it is the Coelacanth Award; if 20, the Fish Eagle Award – so maybe for 30, it should be the Bald Eagle Award!” Good call there Butch!