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More than 180 paddlers lined up on the Berg River on Saturday morning, 11th June, in perfect weather (blue skies and no wind), but on a very low river - only some 5 cumecs at the start - but which increased as water from the surrounding mountains reached it at spots on the course, making it an adequate amount for this particular event.

Graeme Solomon (Peninsula Canoe Club) on his way to winning the Gouda-Bridgetown K1 (Pic by T. Anderson)

The start was characterised by almost complete pandemonium, when, on lining up, the top paddlers, traditionally used to being in the front several rows, were inundated by paddlers from the back-of-the-field, forming an almost solid raft of canoes, so much so, that when the gun was fired for the start of the race, for many paddlers, it was impossible to take a stroke without clashing with the canoe or the paddle of another paddler and this resulted in a  number of unfortunate early capsizes and more than occasional blue language (that is normally most uncommon amongst paddlers!). The ensuing barrage of swearing and cursing after the start gun does the sport no favours and it is about time that both the W.C.C.U. (under whose auspices all races in the province are held) and the various club race organizers, re-establish what used to happen at all canoe races in the Cape - i.e. seeded batches at the start of every race consisting of 4 or 5 lines of 10 canoes (based on the results of the previous weekends race), with the bulk of canoeists who do not make the 'cut', a further 20 - 30 meters behind the seeded rows and controlled by a flag. If such controlled starts are returned to the general day races in the Cape (they exist in the multi-day races), on-water inter-personal relationships will dramatically improve and the 'dogs breakfast' that characterised the start of the 2011 Gouda-Bridgetown K1 race, will never again besmirch the good, clean name of this fantastic sport.

So, to W.C.C.U and all your clubs, the challenge has been made by this writer.

In the ensuing chaos that characterised the start of the 29 km K1 canoe race on Saturday, paddlers such as the likes of the favourites, Lance King (Milnerton Canoe Club) and Graeme Solomon (Peninsula Canoe Club), actually started behind paddlers vastly inferior to their level and within 300 m of the start, King, who has dominated racing in the Cape so far in 2011, clashed paddles with an unknown paddler seeing him capsize, ending his quest to remain unbeaten in K1 events this season. The leading bunch that eventually managed to get away from the 'mob', led by Edgar Boehm jnr (Pen) and consisting of Solomon, Pierre-Andre Rabie (Maties)., Tom Schilperoodt (Pen), Heinrich Schloms (Paarl), Ivan Kruger (Century City), Ian Trautmann (Pen) and Zaren Courtney (Cty), set a furious pace, churning out 6 - 7 massive intervals before reaching Black Rock (4.5 km into the race). Approaching Black Rock - a channel-rapid through high Palmiet bushes, with a drop and a hard 100 degree left turn in it, Solomon powered into the lead to shoot it first, followed by Rabie, Schilperoodt and Boehm, thus splitting the field and pruning the leaders down to 4 canoes, with chasers desperately trying to make up the distance behind them. This continued for another 4 - 5 kms, until Solomon, using his intimate knowledge of the river, broke away at a little known left-hand 'sneak' and by sprinting through it reduced the leaders to a chevron of 3 canoes - only Schilperoodt and Rabie managing to keep in contact with him.

From then on, down the Train Bridge Channels, the Gum Tree forest before the Heuning Berg, through the maze of channels below the Heuning Berg, Ysterpen Rapid and including the one necessary portage for all paddlers where a fallen tree entirely blocked the main flow of the river on its left bank, these three paddlers exchanged the lead all the way to the end at Bridgetown, which resulted in an final sprint for the line. Here, Solomon (who is also now paddling as a Sub Veteran, i.e. 35 - 39 years) edged out Rabie and Schilperoodt to win in the excellent time (at this level) of 2 hours 8 minutes and 30 seconds.

King, after his capsize, paddled furiously through the field trying to catch-up, but was forced to stop again and empty after Black Rock (he shot it with his spray deck off and so shipped more water than his foot pump could handle) but still managed a top 10 position, when he claimed the 9th spot on the day, testimony to his grit in the face of adversity.

The Senior Women's race, turned out to be all about Michelle Eray, visiting from the Eastern Cape in preparation for the Swartland (SA K1 River Championships 17th and 18th June) as the top local (and national) women’s K1 river racer, Matie Robyn Kime, opted to run the Ocean-to-Ocean trail run from Muizenberg to Cape Town. Kim Brugmann (Pen), early on in the race, gave a good showing but at about the 10 km mark capsized when she was swept under an overhanging branch, although she was not in a position at that time to challenge Eray at all. Nevertheless, like King, she emptied and paddled on to take the 2nd spot in the Women's division, one position ahead of Women's Veteran paddler, Robyn Henderson (Mil).

Ivan Kruger (Cty), was first home in the U21 category (6th overall) from Josie Williams (Prl) and UCT's Anthony Lake whilst in the Junior U18 ranks, Peninsula's Dominic Notten beat his club mate Kenny Rice (2nd) and Milnerton's Michael Pretorius.

RESULTS;

Top 10.

1. Graeme Solomon, Peninsula Canoe Club, 2 hours 8 minutes 30 seconds.

2. Pierre-Andre Rabie, Maties, 2:08:33

3. Tom Schliperoodt, Pen, 2:08:37

4. Heinrich Schloms, Paarl, 2:11:19

5. Edgar Boehm (Jnr), Pen, 2:11:20

6. Ivan Kruger,  Cty, 2:13:49

7. Ian Trautmann, Pen, 2:13:50

8. Zaren Courtney, Cty, 2:13:57

9. Lance King, Mil, 2:15:10

10. Graham Bird, Knysna EC, 2:16:14

Senior Women

1. Michelle Eray, Knysna EC, 2:27:28

2. Kim Brugmann, Pen, 2:42:03

3. Robyn Henderson, Mil, 2:42:31

U18

1. Dominic Notten, Pen, 2:22:14

2. Kenneth Rice, Pen, 2:28:27

3, Michael Pretorius, Mil, 2:51:23

U21

1. Ivan Kruger, Cty, 2:13:49

2. Joseph Williams, Prl, 2:31:35

3. Anthony Lake. UCT. 2:51:10

Sub Veterans

1. Graeme Solomon, Pen, 2:08:30

2. Daan du Toit, Mil, 2:16:17

3. Greg van Heerden, Mil, 2:19:50

Veterans

1. Ian Trautmann, Pen., 2:13:50

2. Graham Bird, Knysna EC, 2:16:14

3. Henri van der Merwe, Pen, 2:17:49

Sub Masters

1. Eugene van der Westhuizen, Mil, 2:17:07

2. Chris de Waal, Mil, 2:19:52

3. Johan Swart, Prl, 2:27:40

Masters

1. Mynhardt Marais, Prl, 2:16:15

2. Paul Moxley, Pen, 2:24:13

3. Daantjie Malan, Maties, 2:30:01

Sub Grandmasters

1. Christo Smit, Mil, 2:29:35

2. Gerhard Beukes, Maties, 2:33:14

3. Robin van Rooyen, Mil, 2:41;36

Grandmasters

1. Enslin van Riet, Mil, 2:27:15

2. Rob MacLean, Pen, 2:29:58

3. Lionel Ekermans, Mil, 2:33:14.