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The K1 canoe race on the 28 km section of the Berg River between Wellington and Hermon was the last of the one-day Berg River canoe races that lead up to the annual 243 km 4-day Windhoek Berg River Canoe Marathon that runs from 13th to 16th July, between Paarl in the Boland and Veldrif on the Atlantic Coast.

                      Graeme Solomon shooting Roostuin (pic by T. Anderson)

Because if this, a good field turned out today and 127 paddlers completed the race at Piet se' Plaas, near the Hermon Bridge and on a river that was flowing at about 20 cumecs, making it an excellent level for all paddlers on their final competitive race before the 50th running of the iconic marathon in 10 days time. 

Starting in seeded rows and batches to lessen the chaos of the starts that had occurred earlier in the season, and under an overcast, cold sky - it rained heavily during the event - the leaders got away at 10h00 sharp when Henk Roux, the Chairman of the hosting club, New Balance WP, fired the starters pistol and the early leader was Lance King (Milnerton), who dashed into the lead, followed by Heinrich Schloms (Paarl), Graeme Solomon, Sean Rice and Edgar Boehm jnr (all Peninsula) and the Matie paddler, Pierre-Andre Rabie. Schloms soon caught King and together they kept a short gap between themselves and the following 4 until shortly before Skooltjie (6km into the race), when a group of five paddlers - Boehm had dropped off - King, Schloms, Rabie, Rice and Solomon, sped under the low-level bridge there, on their way to the only real rapid of the section - Klei Rapid - a further couple of kilometres on. Approaching the rapid, the paddlers split, King and Schloms opting for the fuller, left hand channel, Solomon and Rice the middle, slower one, meaning that King and Schloms again opened up a gap between them and Solomon, Rice and Rabie.

By the big left hand turn of the river down to Grensplaas - after the rapids known as 'John's Ribs' - Rabie, who had been suffering with 'dead leg' syndrome, had fallen back -(he stopped at Grensplaas to change the seat of his K1), reducing the group to King, Schloms, Solomon and King. This group played follow-the-leader through the forests until Rice was shaken off near Zeekoegat and it was only at the tree block after Roostuin and just minutes before the end of the race, that the podium places were sorted out. Solomon opted to carry his canoe over the tree block whilst King and Schloms portaged on the left bank and this allowed Solomon to get his nose in front to head for the finish line in pole position. Schloms did well to chase and catch Solomon on the way home, but could not get past the Peninsula paddler, coming in on Solomon's slip at the line, whilst King dropped off to come in 30 seconds after the winner to take 3rd position.

With Solomon winning this event, it means that the podium finishers of today's race - Solomon, Schloms and King - have all been winners in the day-races up to this stage, and it remains to be seen how they will take this into the Berg River Canoe Marathon as these are the local Western Cape paddlers who will be challenging the current Berg River Champion, Hank McGregor, currently in excellent form - having won the 2 day Swartland Canoe Marathon on the Berg two weeks ago and last week, the World Cup Surfski marathon held off Durban.

The small Women's field (8 paddlers), saw Angie Austin (Peninsula) improve her podium position from last weekends race to win, with Milnerton's Lisa Scott coming home in 2nd place, followed by Romy Findlay (Pen) in 3rd position.

Luke Stowman (Paarl) won the Juniors event from Michael Pretorius (Milnerton), Diviano Pietersen (Paarl) coming home 3rd.

In the U21 category, Sean Rice (Pen) was 1st, followed by Joseph Williams and Emile Minnaar (both Paarl).

Results;

Top Ten

1. Graeme Solomon, Peninsula Canoe Club, 1 hour 53 minutes 47 seconds.

2. Heinrich Schloms, Paarl, 1:53:50

3. Lance King, Milnerton, 1:54:24

4. Sean Rice, Pen, 1:56:59

5. Pierre-Andre Rabie, Maties, 1:58:39

6. Ernest van Riet, Maties, 1:58:40

7. Edgar Boehm jnr, Pen, 1:58:45

8. Nick Longley, Pen, 1:59:51

9. Daan du Toit, Mil, 2:02:32

10. Hennie du Plooy, Mil, 2:04:26

Senior Women

1. Angie Austin, Pen, 2:21:32

2. Lisa Scott, Mil, 2:24:13

3. Romy Findlay, Pen, 2:24:49

Juniors

1. Luke Stowman, Prl, 2:11:45

2. Michael Pretorius, Mil, 2:16:15

3. Diviono Pieterson, Prl, 2:22:30

U21

1. Sean Rice, Pen, 1:56:59

2. Joseph Williams, Prl, 2:07:08

3. Emile Minaar, Prl, 2:17:32 

Sub Veterans

1. Graeme Solomon, Pen, 1:53:47   

2. Daan du Toit, Mil, 2:02:32

3. Hennie du Plooy, Mil, 2:04:26

Veterans

1. Jan Malherbe, Int, 2:16:19

2. Herbert Conradie, Prl,

3. Russell Ikin, Mil, 2:19:48

Sub Masters

1. Chris de Waal, Mil, 2:06:25

2. Donnie Malherbe, Prl, 2:07:07

3. Theuns Mathee, Maties, 2:12:15

Masters

1. Paul Lange, Pen, 2:09:57

2. Ian Glass, Pen, 2:16:06

3. Anton Truter, Mil, 2:17:34

Sub Grandmasters

1. Gerhard Beukes, Maties, 2:11:43

2. Robin van Rooyen, Mil, 2:17:24

3. Andre Rabie, Prl, 2:23:15

Grandmasters

1. Rob MacLean, Pen, 2:11:47

2. Giel van Deventer, Prl, 2:19:21