Monday, 23 August 2010 06:47
Low river levels forece course change
With the Breede River running at its lowest levels since 2004, it was decided by the WCCU Exco on Thursday that the annual running of the McGregor Bridge (Robertson) to Diggton Farm (Bonnivale) would be moved to the Berg River and the 30 km Gouda Bridge to Bridgetown section.
This stretch of river provided sufficient water. The race was sponsored for the first time by Bamboo Warehouse, one of the Directors of which is the iconic Western Cape paddler, Graeme Solomon, who won his SA National canoeing colours for the umpteenth time in 2010 (he first won back in the mid 1990s).
And as it turned out, Solomon (Peninsula CC), not only was the winner of 'his' event, but with his 2010 SA K2 partner to Spain next month for the World Canoe Marathon Championships, Ant Stott - the manager of Bamboo Warehouse in KZN, enhanced an already stellar field, Ernest van Riet (Maties) and Heinrich Schloms (Paarl) also having been chosen for the SA team at the World's next month. Throw into the mix, Pierre-Andre Rabie, an SA U23 team member last year, Edgar Boehm jnr, an SA Junior from several years back and it was always going to be a good race, but no-one could have predicted just how dominant the Stott/Solomon combination was going to be, they winning by more than 5 minutes over their fellow Protea's, van Riet/Schloms.
The race was started by 88 craft, (approx 160 paddlers, there having been several K1s as well) in cold, wet and windy weather (the first canoe race of the 2010 canoe season to begin in inclement weather) approximately 500 m below the Gouda Bridge, because of the extensive tree block 200 m downstream of the bridge. From the start, it was a four boat bunch that set the early pace - Stott/Solomon, van Riet/Schloms, Edgar Boehm jnr (Pen/Pen), and Pierre-Andre Rabie/Patrick Birkett (Maties/Pen) over the first 4.5 km to Black Rock rapid. It is interesting to note that Stott/Solomon decided to portage this rapid whilst van Riet/Schloms shot it, and yet both came away from it together, this showing how slick the Stott/Solomon combination is, having just spent 10 days - with excellent success - on the Spanish canoe racing circuit where they have 'waxed' their portaging to high degree, because the terrain over which to carry at Black Rock is rocky is, very uneven and in the gusty, wet conditions, also slippery.
Coming away from Black Rock, Rabie/Birkett fell off the pace (although to be fair, Rabie has been stricken with 'flu these past 10 days) and then shortly before the channels leading down to the train bridge (the half way mark), Boehm/Kearney also fell off, leaving the 4 national paddlers to contend the final 15 km of the race.
However, shortly after the train bridge and in the forest at the foot of the Heuningberg, van Riet/Schloms opted for a right hand channel which unfortunately for them, dried up, forcing a timeous portage, whilst Stott/Solomon, staying in the left hand, more tricky channel, yet one with a strong flow , saw them break free and then power through to Bridgetown to finish with virtually no other canoe in sight. It is sincerely hoped that Stott/Solomon can keep up this level of excellence, for if they do, they must be serious medal contenders at the World K2 Canoe Marathon Champs. in Spain on Sunday 26th September.
There was again an unfortunate lack of senior women paddlers in the race, yet the UCT/Peninsula combination of Jackie Barnes and Jemma Hofmeyer put up a spirited performance to win and end 21st overall, Marisa Pretorius/Jenna Starr (Mil/KZN) coming in 2nd (46th overall) whist the Veteran women's combination of Lisa Scott and Lis Hart (Mil/Pen) were 3rd - 49th overall.
The National Junior K2 combination of Josie Williams and Diviano Pietersen (both Paarl) won the junior event in the very good position of 13th overall, followed by Paarl team mates, Michel Farringer/Emile Minnaar (16th overall), whilst Nicholas de Villiers (well-known former WP paddler, Marais de Villiers' son - as with the Collins , van Riet and Basson families, proving that 'the apple doesn't fall far from the tree'!) and Daniel Pretorius (also both Paarl) were 3rd - 27th overall.
The first U21 paddler home., albeit in a K1, was UCT's Andrew Birkett, followed by Milnerton's evergreen Chris de Waal (who is a Sub Master these days), whilst the 3rd K1 home was the 'Old Man of the River', Paarl's Giel van Deventer, now a Grandmaster (i.e. over 60 years), in the impressive position of 26th position, confirming above all that knowledge of the racing environment is an essential in any river and especially one such as the Berg, where there are so many variables to contend with.
The very popular Mixed doubles class was well won by Peninsula's Henri van der Merwe/Megan Kelly (14th overall), 2nd were the Maties, Louw van Riet and Kirsten Penderis whilst the 3rd spot was wrapped up by Richard Fly and Letitia Steenkamp - also both Maties.
With rain having fallen intermittently all day on Saturday and heavily overnight into Sunday and said to continue into Sunday evening and even Monday next week, all local and up-country paddlers who have the Breede River canoe marathon in their sights for 4th/5th September, are hoping that enough water will reach the area between Robertson and Swellendam to see all paddlers back onto the most beautiful river of the Cape soon.
Results...
Results Bamboo Warehouse K2 30 km canoe race, Gouda Bridge to Bridgetown, Saturday 21 August, 2010
Top Ten
1. Ant Stott/Graeme Solomon, KZN.Pen - 1 hour 59 minutes 06 minutes
2. Ernest van Riet/Heindrich Schloms, Maties/Paarl - 2:04:44
3. Edgar Boehm jnr/Joe Kearney, Pen/Pen - 2:08:29
4. Pierre-Andre Rabie/Patrick Birkett, Maties/Pen - 2:11:38
5. AJ Bam/Rory Sandberg, Maties/Maties - 2:13:50
6. Herbert Conradie/Gary Cromie, Paarl/SOS - 2:15:55
7. Richard McMartin/James Birkett, CTY/UCT - 2:15:57
8. Michael Watson/Wayne August, UCT/Paarl - 2:28:23
9. Etienne Rawlinson/Marius Harmse, Mil/Mil - 2:18:26
10. Andrew Birkett, UCT - 2:18:47
Senior Women
1. Jackie Barnes/Jemma Hofmeyer, UCT/Pen - 2:25:19 (21st overall)
2. Marias Pretorius/Jenna Starr, Mil/KZN - 2:43:12 (46th)
3. Lisa Scott.Lis Hart, Mil/Pen - 2:43:53 (49th)
Mixed Doubles
1. Henri van der Merwe/Megan Kelly, Pen/Pen - 223:31 (14th)
2. Louw van Riet/Kirsten Penderis, Maties/Maties - 2:25:06 (19th)
3. Richard Fly/Letitia Steenkamp, Maties/Maties 2:30:07 (24th)
Juniors
1. Josie Williams/Diviano Pietersen, Paarl/Paarl - 2:23:11 (13th)
2. Michael Farringer/Emile Minnaar, Prl/Prl - 2:23:46 (16th)
3. Nicholas de Villiers/Daniel Pretorius, Prl/Prl - 2:31:28 (27th)
U21
1. Andre Birkett, UCT - 2:18:47
2. Bruce Hughes/Brett Moolenschot, UCT/UCT - 3:38:42
3. Michael Pretorius, Mil/Mil - 2:39:43 (39th)
Sub Veterans
1. Hennie du Plooy/Daan du Toit, Mil/Mil - 2:20:03 (11th)
2.Gary Kroukamp/Fynn Corry, Pen/Pen - 2:36:20 (29th)
3.Tatum Seiler/Stuart Birch, Pen/Pen - 3:22:27 (77th)
Veterans
1. Herbert Conradie/Gary Cromie, Prl/SOS - 2:15:55 (6th)
2. Fred Cresswell/Mark Torrington, Pen/Pen - 2:23:50 (17th)
3. Lisa Scott/Lis Hart, Pen/Pen - 2:43:53
Sub Masters
1. Mynhardt Marais/Daantjie Malan, Prl/Maties - 2:22:45
2. Chris de Waal, Mil - 2:23:38 (15th)
3. Johan de Clercq/Hannes van der Westhuizen, Prl/Prl - 2:38:00 (31st)
Masters
1. Ian Glass/Shaun Butler, Pen/Pen - 2:25:18 (20th)
2. Francois du Toit/Neil Bartie, Prl/Prl - 2:30:13 (25th)
3. Eric Farringer/Francis Steyn, Prl/Prl - 2:37:28
Sub Grandmasters
1. Rob MacLean/Andre Rabie, Pen/Prl - 2:26:21 (22nd)
2. Enslin van Riet/Anthony Penderis, Mil/Maties - 2:33:28 (28th)
3. Johan Serdyn/Tienie van Schoor, Maties/Maties - 2:39:36 (40th)
Grandmasters
1. Giel van Deventer, Prl - 2:31:12 (26th)
2. Edgar Boehm snr - Pen, 4:10:37 (sweep - 80th)
Legends (over 70's)
1. Angus Hemp/Charles Melck, Pen/Mil - 3:05:51
K1 (singles)
1. Andrew Birkett, UCT - 2:18:47 (10th)
2. Chris de Waal, Mil - 2:23:38 (15th)
3., Giel van Deventer, Prl - 2:31:12 (26th)
Report by Rob MacLean, Media Liaison - W.C.C.U.
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