This weekend saw a canoe event double header, when races on the Breede River in preparation of the Canon Breede River K2 Marathon and S.A.

Championships to be held on 6/7 September, 2008, were raced over the 18 km Darling ridge/Wyzerdrift section on Saturday and 38 km Alfiesdrift/Silwerstrand section on Sunday.

Both events were held in glorious weather, under the snow mottled Hex River Mountain ranges, blue skies and the gentlest of head winds and with the river at a medium level in both cases.

*Saturday 16th August, 2008.*

The *Darling Bridge to Wyzerdrift 18 km *Saturday event was a bit short on paddlers, many having decided the S.A. vs N.Z. rugby match had a greater pull, but was well won by the top crew Graeme Solomon and Lance King (Peninsula/Milnerton) from Stellebosch's Ernest van Riet and Heinrich Schloms by 30 seconds. The 3rd placed crew was the new exciting young combination of Pierre-Andre Rabie and Patrick Birkett (US/UCT), another minute and a half back with the experienced Pieter-Willem Basson and Maynhardt Marais fromPaarl taking 4th spot.

The Ladies section was dominated by Tarryn Brown and Vicki Hind

(Penisula) from  their teammates, Jemma Hofmeyer/Jackie Barnes, with Helene Rabie/Wibke Dunaiski (PRL/US) taking 3rd spot.

*Results - Darling Bridge/Wyzerdrift, Breede River 18 km K2 canoe race, Saturday 16th August, 2008.*

Top 10

1. Graeme Solomon/Lance King - Pen/Mil - 1 hour 17 minutes 18 seconds 2. Ernest van Riet.Heinrich Schloms - US - 1:17:58 3. Pierre-Andre Rabie/Patrick Birkett - US/UCT - 1:18:31 4. Pieter-Willem Masson/Mynhardt Marais - Prl - 1:21:32 5. (K1) Gavin White - Mil - 1:24:39 5. Andrew Birkett/James Birkett - UCT - 1:28:54 6. Erhadrt Joubert/Evert Maree - WHR/Temp - 1:32:13 7. Richard Kohler/Judy Goodspeed - Mil - 1:33:59 8. Rob Hart/Lis Hart - Pen - 1:34:33 9. Tallon Denovan/Graeme Ferguson - LAN/WSK 1:34:46 10. Tarryn Brown/Vicky Hind - Pen - 1:34:01

Ladies

1/ Tarryn Brown/Vicky Hind - Pen

2. Jemma Hofmeyer/Jackie Barnes - Pen

3. Helen Rabie/Wibke Duniaski - Prl/US

U 21

1. Andrew Birkett/James Birkett - UCT

2. Michael Bissett/Alexander Antrobus - UCT

Sub Veterans

1. Richard Kohler/Judy Goodspeed - Mil

2. Francois Coetzee/Ockie Kruger - WHR/Prl 3. Guy Glanville/Mark Dykes - Mil

Veterans

1. Rob Hart/Lis Hart - Pen

2. Christo Smit/Ross Meyer - Mil

3. John Lee/Hilde Lee - Mil

Masters

1. Gerfried Nebe/Peter Calitz - Pen

Grandmasters

1. Angus Hemp/Charles Melck - Pen/Mil

K1's

1. Gavin White - Mil - 1:24:39

2. Andre Rabie - Prl - 1:36:44

3. Lloyd Ferreira - Pen - 1:41:45

*Sunday 17th August, 2008.

*

Over 100 paddlers lined up for the *38 km Alfiesdrift to Silwerstrand race *on Sunday which was always going to be a hard grind on flat water with few obstacles on the way, but  it is traditionally the pipe-opener for the Breede season as over such a distance, crew dynamics and any problems with canoes tends to raise their (sometime ugly!) heads, because on this section, there is no-where to hide. In addition, despite the very good rains of the season and the showers last week, the river was down approximately a meter from the previous weeks race to bring it to a medium level, which on the sections above both the Eilandia and Goree weirs, paddlers were often paddling in very shallow water, which everyone knows, takes its toll on the muscles and joints, as canoes pull  more friction making for harder padling. This is where the state of fitness of the paddlers comes to the fore because in such conditions, lack of the same becomes very evident.

 From the start, the top crews showed their intentions by blasting away and keeping up the pace until the narrow, one-canoe width channel about

8 minutes after the start was reached. From here, the leading bunch of Solomon/King, van Riet/Schloms, Rabie/Birkett and the van Heerden brothers, Greg and Matthew, made the break to get away from the rest of the field. The van Heeredens were worked off before Eilandia was reached

(12 kms) and at the Eilandia Weir (18 kms) and the compulsory portage there, Rabie and Birkett were dropped. From here on down to the Goree Weir (33 kms), now a compulsory portage given that work is being done on it to form a causeway, Solomon/King and van Riet/Schloms, exchanged the lead to widen the gap on Rabie/Birkett. Leading into the weir, van Riet/Schloms opoted to go onto the middle island and took the first channel below it whilst Solomon/King ramped onto the weir and got away on the more open, right hand channel to open up a good minute lead on the Maties which they increased by almost another 30 seconds over the final 5 kms to Silwerstrand.

With the top local ladies crew of Alexa Cole and Doonia Kamstra opting to sit this one out, Tarryn Brown and Vicky Hind repeated their showing of Saturday to win again going away from Helene Rabie/Wibke Dunaski

(Prl/US) as the Jemma Hofmeyer/Jackie Barnes combination wasn't available for this race, Jemma teaming up with Glen Trueb (Pen), Jackie not being available.

The U21 event was won by the Birkett brothers (UCT) from Adrian Bam/Rory Sandberg (US) and their Matie team mates, David Firth and Abrie Roux.

In the Junior category, Chrisjan Coetzee and Joseph Williams (Prl) paddled exceptionally well  up to the flats before the Goree Weir (they were in the top 15 places at that stage), when the distance of the event got to them, but they must take strength from their showing  for future events - watch their names. In 2nd place in the junior division was the Under 16 crew  of Emile Minnaar/Luke Stowman (Prl).

The popular mixed doubles category was well won by the husband/wife crew of Lindi-May and Marius Harmsen (9th position over all) which must have been a relief for Lindi-May, she having been forced to withdraw from the Berg River Canoe Marathon in July with an injured shoulder and looking towards her first time showing for South Africa at the World Canoe Marathon Championships in mid-September. Rob and Lis Hart (Pen) placed second (18th over all) with Richard Kohler /Judy Goodspeed (Mil) 3rd in 22nd place over all.

An outstanding performance of this event was the excellent Top 10 position (9th K2 home) of the Grandmasters crew of Roelof van Riet and Andre Collins (Mil), only some 16 minutes off the winning time. These over 60 year old canoeing legends continue to re-write the canoeing record books of the Western Cape and South Africa and such a showing at this  time of the season bodes well for the defence of their Grandmasters World Canoe Marathon title in the Czech Republic in mid-September.

*Results - Alfiesdrift/Silwerstrand 38 km K2 canoe race, Sunday 17th August, 2008. *

Top Ten

1. Graeme Solomon/ Lance King - Pen/Mil - 2 hours 39 minutes 20 seconds 2. Ernest van Riet/Heinrich Schloms - US - 2:40:53 3. Pierre-Andre Rabie/Patrick Birkett - US/UCT - 2:43:45 4. Greg van Heerden/Matthew van Heerden - Mil/US -  2:45:41 5. Pieter-Willem Basson/Maynhardt Marais - Prl - 2:46:11 6. Cornelius Human/Richard Fly - US - 2:46:13 7. (K1) Gavin White - Mil - 2:49:13 7. Andrew Borkett/James Birkett - UCT - 2:50:46 8. Lindi-May Harmse/Marius Harmsen - Mil - 2:53:33 9. Roelof van Riet/Andre Collins - 2:55:18 10. Rob MacLean/Lionel Ekermans - Pen/Mil - 2:55:31

Ladies

1. Tarryn Brown/Vicki Hind - Pen.

2. Helene Raboe/Wiebke Dunaiski - Prl/US.

U 21

1. Andrew Borket/James Borkett - UCT

2. Adrian Bam/Rory Sandberg - US

3. David Firth/Abre Roux - US.

Junior

1. Chrisjan Coetzee/Joseph Williams - Prl.

2. Emile Minnaar/Like Stowman - Prl

Sub Veterans

1. Mike Duffus/Duncan McIvor - Pen

2.Kevin Goodspeed/Craig Mockford - Mil

3. Richard Kohler/Judy Goodspeed - Mil

Veterans

1. Rob Hart/Lis Hart - Pen

2. Greg Davies/Martin Koch - Pen

3. Kevin Bouwer/Mandy Simpson - Mil

Sub Masters

1. Nick Baikoff/Mark Torrington - Pen

2. Daantjie Malan/Johan Swartt - US/EVP

3. George Hall/Peter Sandell - Prl/Pen

Masters

1. Ian Glas/Shaun Butler - Pen

2. Veronica Jones/Russell MacWilliam - Pen

Sub Grandmasters

1. Rob MacLean/Loinel Ekermans - Pen/Mil

Grandmasters

1. Roelof van Riet/Andre Collins - Mil

2. Angus Hemp/Charles Melck - Pen/Mil.

K1's

1. Gavin White - Mil - 2:29:13

2. Neil Bailey - Pen - 3:10:31

3. Andre Rabie - Prl - 3:13:25.

Rob MacLean