Paddle Mag 3 2017 June / July

Issue 3 2017

Gaining Stability in your Boat

Thailand Sprints

IMAGE: Glen Murray Photography

World Marathon Champs

Calendars plan your life

Berg River Marathon SA SCHOOL Sprints

REGULARS

8 A word from you Reader letters

44 gear & gadget

Tripper Sports gets you kitted out for the winter season

46 recipes

48 Calendars

Canoeing and Surfski events around the country, get training and planning

55 view from the back of the boat

Quick, energy rich snacks to help your training

FEATURES 10 stability Becoming one with

your boat

16 Pippa Mcgregor World Marathon Champs

20 the pink lady®

Getting behind canoeing in a big way

22 dinner with hank VLC brings the Pro to the Paddler

36 VLC CAKE RACE SERIES 40 berg river

RACES IN REVIEW

26 PENNYPINCHERS /

BUCO EASTER SURFSKI

28 SA SCHOOL SPRINTS 32 THE STANFORD FESTIVAL

37 THAILAND Land of Smiles and more

marathon Are you ready?

CONTRIBUTORS Ludovic Bacquet Pippa McGregor Jennie Dallas Collin Simpkins Wayne Saunders

Schalk Lewan Van Zyl John Hishin James Stewart

PHOTOGRAPHY Jennie Dallas Jermaine Julian Ludovic Bacquet Graham Daniel Cape Photographic Studio

Glen Murray Photography Schalk Lewan Van Zyl Cape Town Sports Photography Carolynn Cameron

FIND us on the WEB thepaddlemag.co.za FB @thepaddlemag

on the cover ISSUE 3 / 2017

PADDLER Jasper Mocke PHOTOGRAPHER Greg Murray Photography At the recent Pennypinchers / BUCO Easter Surfski race.

PUBLISHER Terrence Pomeroy-Ward thepaddlemag@gmail.com COPY EDITOR Bronwyn Schuilenberg DESIGNER Tracy Ward ADMIN thepaddlemag.adm@gmail.com

PUBLISHED ON Issuu.com AD SALES thepaddlemag@gmail.com

NOTE FROM THE ED We live in amazing times!

With the World Marathon Champs just around the corner the team is doing phenomenal work to get everything ready.

Shew, if this was a gossip magazine you would be astounded to hear how many proverbial ‘rabbits they have pulled out the bag’. But we are not and suffice to say that things are well on track and we are all super excited for the start of the event. On that note we caught up with Pippa McGregor our Team SA’s liaison officer. It is great to hear her passion and delight at how Team SA is doing in their preparation – it looks like we are in for a fantastic week of racing in September. I am off to book my flights as soon as the mag is out.

I also got to watch the WCCU marathon trials over the last weekend and if their performance is anything to go by there is going to be some intense racing in August to be selected. Most of the male paddlers lining up at the start on Saturday afternoon have already represented our country and their ability to race with intelligence and brute strength made the race even more entertaining to watch.

Although not quite the experience that the marathons have, we also managed to watch the three day SA Schools Sprints at Buffeljags Dam just outside Swellendam. We were invited to come and watch

and we are very grateful that for the invitation. It was fantastic. Sure the wind blew but the determination and commitment that the juniors showed more than made up for any inconvenience of a little wind. Hats off to Rob and his team for hosting such a mammoth operation.

With the wind screaming around, the kids disappearing to play rugby with their new friends and boats being blown across the lawn they still managed to get nearly 200 competitors through the pounds and on to the water for some enthralling racing. The high number of close finishes is testament to the quality of paddling in our juniors at the moment.

On a slightly different track, it is heart-warming to think that we are part of a paddling community. While I was getting ready to join the Gordon’s Bay Downwind Junkies last Sunday my phone was beeping from people sending me photos of King of the Bay that was raced in Durban earlier that day. That in itself is really neat! We need to remember that we are a community that benefits from clean water and so as we celebrate Paddle for the Planet on Saturday 3rd June we ask that you paddle with a group of mates AND PICK UP SOME LITTER as you go!

Pick it up before the paddle or at the end if you paddle to a cool spot but do something worthwhile. You paddling is nice – you picking up some junk is Fantastic! The water and life in the water will benefit a lot more from you doing something.

As a finally comment, May is our birthday. Yes, we turned one this month. Amazing to think that thirteen months ago we were a dream, now we have four editions under our belt and we are loving every minute of it! Thank You to all of you who have made it possible. The good and the bad comments strengthen us and build us in to a better magazine. So happy birthday to all of us – may we have many more.

A WORD FROM YOU...

Send your letters to thepaddlemag@gmail.com

WINNING LETTER Hi, thank you for providing a new platform for us to air our views and raise our concerns.

In 2002 my partner and I nearly drowned in the race from Campbells Bridge to Duzi Bridge. We were brand new to paddling and had no idea that water flowing just under the bridge was a sign that the river was in flood. Well we took off with our batch and our first encounter was Tegwaan Rapid 100m which we swam at and keep swimming until our boat was smashed. We did not even make it to the Guinea Fowl take out. We eventually abandoned our boat and walked for over two hours to get out of the valley. We did later return to collect our boat.

I read with interest the race report about the Two Day Klip and the amount of people withdrawing from that race. It got me thinking – shouldn’t someone warn people. In the olden day Billy Harker used to warn us – this is a C grade and up race, no D or E’s allowed. Or be warned if you go out there you will need a leash .. Shouldn’t we have that kind of system for river paddling?

On the flip side, if there is no water in the river couldn’t someone warn us about that? The amount of times we have gone to upper Umgeni to find that there is no water release is frustrating to say in the least!

Regards, Mike Ed. You certainly raise some valid points in terms of rivers being in flood. Perhaps race organisers could make more use of the provincial Facebook pages to inform paddlers. Keep in mind that with water releases race organisers are sometimes in the dark until the last moment.

Your letter wins you a copy of “SURFSKI – Training for Performance.”

by Kevin Brunette

GETTING MORE STABILITY ON THE WATER

Ludovic Bacquet

The goal is to get more stability… so that you can paddle faster and longer.

Like most people, you wanted to go fast and you really thought that the “Ferrari” was going to be faster.

Perhaps you wanted to challenge yourself, perhaps you took on a little more than you would have liked. But perhaps you just want a little more stability while paddling.

If that’s the case, the following hints

are probably made “for you”.

FINDING A STABLE SKI I’ll make this one as simple as I can, most people figure out what ski they can handle comfortably, and then decide on a ski that will challenge them a little. Truth be told, if you want to paddle faster, using better technique, more often, in more

IMAGE: Ludovic Bacquet - PHOTOFR.COM conditions, and /or over longer distances, you’ll want a ski that is actually SLIGHTLY EASIER than what you are currently comfortable with.

If it’s not too late, or if you can afford a second ski, do so and get yourself a slightly easier ski. You’ll be blown away by how much faster you will become.

FINDING THE RIGHT SKI The “right” ski should be stable enough for you, but it should also provide a good fit. Here are some questions you’ll want to ask yourself: • Can you adjust your leg length correctly (long or short)?

• Is the hump limiting your rotation?

• Is it a snug fit?

• is the bucket too tight?

• Is the ski volume adequate for your body weight, etc.

In any case, this little document wasn’t created to help you find the right ski or to suggest you purchase a new one… it’s intended to make you more comfortable with what you have to work with, your current ski

and your body.

MAKE IT FIT BETTER If you want more stability, stop paddling immediately and PAD your ski at once. You’ll want it snug, but not tight. When you achieve that “perfect” fit, your current ski will feel way more stable. You’ll want to pad the hip area, and sometimes even the area between your knee and ankle.

The results are near-amazing. Use light foam and tape for now. When you get it right, you may want to use contact cement that can sometimes hold up to two or three years and still come off clean when you want to remove it.

BRACE FOR SUCCESS You don’t want to even read this one… but you really should!

Bracing is way up there on the list.

Learning to brace instinctively is probably the most important thing you can learn and do while in the ocean. The only way to learn it is to practice it quite often.

With a little bit of speed and a correctly executed brace, it becomes nearly impossible to tip you over.

Are you bracing enough? I seriously doubt it, mainly because I see people paddling… not bracing. So brace MORE, and get ready to be surprised at how stable you will become on the water.

LEARN TO BE ONE WITH YOUR SKI

Flexibility is the essence of stability, and you probably fall into one of two categories: You are flexible or You aren’t.

However, here’s some good news: For those of you who are flexible, work on your hip flexibility. For those of you who aren’t, do exactly the same thing – BEFORE you go for a paddle.

It may take some time, but your flexibility will improve and your stability will increase exponentially.

FINDING THE RIGHT PADDLE FOR YOUR NEEDS Some paddles require a very precise movement while travelling through the water. That’s fine if you are on totally flat water, on a calm day, but not so good if you are in the middle of the ocean with limited stability.

Trying different paddles may be the key for you.

I am not going to list every single paddle that may help… however, fair to say that the Braca XI (BRA-SHA 11) is likely to be a very forgiving paddle that is also very likely to help with your stability.

LOWER YOUR CENTER OF GRAVITY Are you carrying a 5-pound water bladder on your back? Try removing it, and placing it inside your cockpit, perhaps behind your foot plate. Do not under-estimate your center of gravity. Placing a 1-pound weight on your deck will have you wondering

IMAGE: Ludovic Bacquet - PHOTOFR.COM

“what happened to my stability”.

Think about that one for a bit.

Do not take away from your safety, but know that paddling with a T-shirt is way more stable than paddling with a wetsuit (the suit is just heavier, and limits movement/ flexibility /balance. Your solution there might just be to move to a warmer place, or to stay closer to shore until your stability improves.

Faster stroke rate will also make you more stable. Keep your paddling in front of your knees, and literally lift your blade out of the water. To get a faster stroke, you’ll want to be in shape. The more you paddle, the faster you can paddle, and the more stable you will become. NICE. GET AWAY FROM YOUR COMFORT ZONE (challenge yourself more often) In an ideal situation, you want to get your ski in the water, start easy, and start in calm water, every single day or whenever possible. After this routine warm up, you’ll probably find yourself paddling for about an hour in your favourite place. Looking back, you’ll tell us that you were paddling just at or near your comfort zone.

Well, you are looking to improve, so my suggestion is to place yourself well outside of your comfort zone, almost every day, even if it’s just for a few minutes.

As a total beginner, this may be

looking for a small boat wake, on purpose. As a way more advanced paddler, you may want to seek cliffs with massive backwash from time to time.

Bottom line, venture away from your comfort zone, and mentally prepare yourself before getting there. The key is to venture away from your comfort zone, and then to come back to it.

RELAX BODY AND MIND WORK ON YOUR BREATHING Breathing is a big part of being relaxed and staying calm. You must learn to control your breathing. At first, the task will seem somewhat daunting.

Just work on it and you’ll be amazed. If you have never done this before, try this before attempting to go outside of your comfort zone: Before getting into the bad zone, your eyes are wide open and you clearly see the dangerzone-in-question. Now, simply work on your breathing: Inhale ONCE fully and now work on exhaling fully, and then exhale some more. Talk to yourself if need be, but just tell yourself to relax. It takes about 20 seconds, so time it right, and you will see yourself merely piercing through it. If all else fails, read this paragraph again.

FOR IMMEDIATE RESULTS, SWIM MORE! Once you gain experience, you’ll want to swim more, right next to your ski. This, obviously will help with remounts, and let you know that you can always remount your ski. You’ll want to start in flat water, but here’s the thing: eventually, you’ll want to just chill in rough water and literally swim with your ski.

This is a water sport, so you are going to get wet. When you learn to relax in the water, you will inevitably be more relaxed while ON YOUR SKI.

IMAGE: Ludovic Bacquet - PHOTOFR.COM

IMAGE: Carolynn Cameron

Sean Rice Wins Molokai 2017 In his own words on the day: “Today was a big day for me! Today I finally took the win at one of the most prestigious Surfski races in the world, the Molokai Challenge. I’ve been so close before, but 4th time lucky! The hard work and sacrifice that has gone on behind the scenes to me achieving this is endless and by no means all mine! I have to thank my sponsors, both Think Kayak Global and Vaikobi for their confidence and support they put into me. I just can’t thank you enough! Thank you to the crew from Richmond Canoe Club for the quality training!

I want to thank my friends, family and most of all my Emily for the endless guidance and encouragement towards me achieving my best. I doubt my self a lot and you never do!

The racing was tough and the field was strong. Thank you to all the guys out there today for a fantastic and brutal race. I will be feeling it for a while haha.

The beers are going to taste as sweet as honey tonight!”

Molokai to Oahu: from Kaluakoi Beach on the west end of Molokai to Maunalua Beach Park in Hawaii Kai on Oahu. 53 km across the Kaiwi channel.

IMAGE: Cape Photographic Studios

Pippa McG

The Upcoming World

Gregor

d Marathon Champs

IMAGE: Graham Daniel TPM What your role is in the SA Marathon team?

PM My role is to interact with the paddlers and to represent CSA. My goal is to try and get into the dynamics of making marathon paddling in our country grow from strength to strength.

TPM How is the planning coming along?

PM The World championships is a local event which I am feeling super excited and optimistic about it! I have been in contact with Steve Botha who is heading up the organising of the event and most of the strategic planning issues have been finalised. Steve’s enthusiasm and passion for the success of the event is great. The venue is already looking fantastic and if the activity on the water is anything to go by, I would say our team is looking like it will be our strongest and best yet! With Nigel Briggs continuing his success as team manager from the past two years, our team will be in good hands. We have also just appointed Kim Pople to be the assistant team manager. Kim was recently awarded the National Sports Awards for Volunteer of the Year, and has tp be recognised for the work she has done at Umzinyati Canoe Club and with development, she is a great fit for the team. I am especially excited about Kim’s appointment as it will allow for change and evolution by having a fresh face in the form of a lady! Both Nigel & Kim certainly bring the right feel and energy to the team which is very exciting.

TPM It must be crazy in your

house right now with you and your husband both building your business brands, competing, running a family and getting involved in WMC 2017 – how do you cope?

PM My life is definitely a juggling act of note … but hey I juggle and I love it! We have an amazing support system, Hank’s mum is always there to help us and is phenomenal with Thorsten which has given us the freedom to travel and pursue our personal goals.

TPM As an athlete yourself where you not tempted to race rather than help?

PM I love paddling however it isn’t my main focus. In order to make the team, to represent your country, you need to be 100% committed, especially when you think that only 2 boats can qualify per event. We have the likes of crews like Jenna Ward and Kyeta Purchase who are currently the 2nd fastest marathon crew in the World!

TPM With the provincial trials about to start – will you be travelling to the events?

PM I will definitely be at the KZN Championships, however I can’t be at the Gauteng or Cape trials. Hank and I are organising the McGregor series again this year, which we have now expanded to Johannesburg, as well as to the World Champs venue.

We also have Hanks international Surfski racing schedule and our family, there just aren’t enough weekends left.

TPM I see that the selection for the SA team will take place on the 12/13 August and that WMC 2017 starts on the 5th September that does not give you much time – are you nervous?

PM I feel that this will ensure that the best athletes are selected for the team. In the past, the selection had to be done further in advance to make time for planning the overseas logistics, particularly getting our teams craft across from South Africa.

The team would usually have to load boats onto the container for shipping at least 3 months in advance to get to The World Championships venue. This was the main reason for

having the trial so early. I believe that this year, the trial is at the ideal time to fit into athletes training programs in their build up to World Championships plus it is the best indication of who is fit to represent our country at Worlds as there is not enough time in between the trial and Worlds to get distracted by other events or lose focus.

TPM Do you have a good idea of who is going to make the team? To be honest, I don’t think anyone can predict this. PM The South African team is probably one of the hardest, if not the hardest team to qualify for.

In the senior men’s category we have the current number 1 & 2 marathon paddlers in the World which in my eyes makes the trial like a world championships! The marathon event in its nature is unpredictable and anything can happen, I guess that’s what makes it so exciting.

TPM How big a team are you hoping to represent SA? PM It will be the same as every year in the junior, U23 & senior categories. However for the World Masters, we will definitely have a lot more South Africans participating than ever before as there is no limit to the number that can enter. This is really fantastic for us as it gives our masters an opportunity to race on the World scene.

TPM Considering it is in Pietermaritzburg – will the team stay together or go home at the end of the day?

PM From a team spirit perspective, it would be great for the team to stay together during the event. However, many of the paddlers (especially the locals) would prefer the comfort of their own home. The committee has been making enquiries, especially for paddlers who will make the team from other provinces. At the end of the day, we need to do what is best for the paddlers and what their preference is in order to race at a world class level.

TPM As Team SA are they required to paddle particular boats or will each team member bring his or her own boat to the event?

PM Once again, this is each

individuals personal preference.

TPM The venue is looking great but is it comparable to international venues?

PM Yes it is.

TPM Do you think that there is a home town advantage?

PM I would say the only advantage would be not having to travel & deal with jet lag and the other stresses of traveling, something the South African team has had to deal with the past couple of years. That doesn’t mean one can’t perform as our guys and girls have shown by the phenomenal results. In terms of the course, I believe that it is a fair playing field.

The ICF spends years designing, scrutinizing and inspecting the course in order to finalize a final

course that would ensure a fair race.

There are obviously environmental factors that can play a part but these are evaluated and would only play

havoc if there were to be a storm immediately preceding the event to effect water levels & quality. There have been instances in the past where the venue had to deal with flooding such as in Hungary in 2007.

TPM Who do you think is our biggest competition? Hungary for sure, they have taken home the most amount of medals across almost every single category for as long as I can remember.

PM The selection process is underway for a number of international countries at the moment, do you keep an eye on the results or are you more focused on your own team and their conditioning?

TPM Can local people get involved if they want to (i.e to do need pound people, crowd management etc. ) or is it all professional managed?

PM Yes, volunteers are needed across all areas including the above.

If they have a particular area they are keen on getting involved we can give their info to Steve Botha

A word from Colin Simpkins...

Most paddlers in the country will never experience a World Marathon Championships. For many, it is just too expensive, or they cannot afford the time away.

Watching the event in Brandenburg in Germany last year was an absolute privilege. There was such a feeling of pride in our national paddlers, across all of the age groups. Also, a realization and appreciation of the quality of competiveness of the events.

Time has a nasty habit of creeping up on us. It feels like yesterday that the Christmas decorations were still up. Some of the provincial marathon championships are weeks away, and not months away any more.

The SA Marathon Champs is only 11 weeks away. The World Champs, less than a month after that.

Participation in the senior, junior and U23 age categories is restricted to those who qualify for the national team.

Participation in all of the masters age categories is open.

I would like to implore all of our marathon paddlers in these age groups to take advantage of this once in a lifetime opportunity to be a part of a world championships, and to stay on afterwards to support our national team.

Most unions are putting on lead up events towards their provincial trials. Last year Hank and his wife Pippa put on a series of short marathon races, which were exceptionally popular. This year, they are taking the series around the country.

Let’s make the 2017 World Champs something to remember.

The Pink LadyÂŽ and Canoeing Empowerment (PLACE) Helping communities find their PLACE in the world.

IMAGES: Jermaine Julian

Pink Lady® apples is an international brand and TopFruit manages and markets the brand in Southern Africa. Pink Lady® apples has been involved with the canoeing community over the last 10 years, from providing sponsorships for events to aiding with financial assistance for individual paddlers.

Through Pink Lady® apples’ friendship with Wayne August, Coach at Paarl Canoe Club, they became aware that financial assistance was needed for the Paarl Canoe Club’s Development Team. Pink Lady® apples joined forces with Wayne and started assisting some of the development paddlers where they could. Over the years it has become a much-loved social responsibility project for Pink Lady® apples.

They are passionate about helping the children in a holistic way, but it is an effort that involves many people and many sponsors. Paarl Canoe Club assists the children. Emma Heistein from MAKE helps the children with their homework on a voluntary basis and sandwiches are provided for the kids in the afternoons when they are at the club. Wayne collects all the kids in minibus that Paarl Canoe Club bought with money they won

for the Development team from the Jack Cheetham Award. Pink Lady® apples assists by providing funds for petrol to collect the children to and from the club, transport to some races and generally helping where assistance is needed.

Due to their involvement with the Paarl Development Team, Pink Lady® wanted to take the idea and model of how a Development Club could work further and create their very own canoe clubs in the apple growing regions of South Africa. It is Pink Lady®’s way to give back to the hardworking apple farm workers and their communities. The first club began in Misgund in 2014.

This club is run with the assistance of the Eastern Cape Canoe Union, Eve Brand Farms and Black Ginger Farm. This program, for setting up the development canoe clubs, is called PLACE (Pink Lady® and Canoe Empowerment) PLACE aims helps give back to the hardworking Pink Lady® farm workers through providing paddling facilities and coaching for their children. The aim of the club is to motivate the children to attend school (Not at school = no paddling) and to empower them via attending

national and international regattas as well as networking for education and work opportunities. The core focus of the clubs is to empower and inspire the youth on the farms to develop themselves beyond their circumstances and to find their PLACE in the world.

Coach Josie and Farm Manager Paul are both products of Canoe Development in Paarl. Through their dedication and successes in their paddling they have created opportunities to grow further in their careers and paddling, both of them work on Eve Brand Farms in Misgund and coach the canoe children in the afternoons It has been three years since the launch of the Misgund club in the Langkloof and the paddlers have experienced and achieved so much in such a short time paddling.

Three of their members have even represented their club at an international regatta in Germany, Dusseldorf where they fared exceptionally well in their races.

This trip was made possible by the generous sponsor of the Eastern Cape Canoe Union.

Victoria Lake Canoe Club’s

Dinner with Hank

IMAGES: Jennie Dallas

With the imminent hosting of the ICF World Marathon Champs in Pietermaritzburg, South Africa later this year, what better way to get inspired and motivated than spending an evening listening to our very own eight times world champion, six time gold medal winner at the World Championships and one of the finest all-round paddlers in the history of the sport, Hank McGregor The sell-out success attracted over 100 paddlers and interested parties from across Gauteng in May this year. The afternoon started with a group of interested Berg River Marathon paddlers having a training discussion with Hank. This included sharing training, racing and supplementation information and tips which have helped him to an unprecedented nine Berg titles. Hank was happy to share any advice or lessons learned with both the experienced and new paddlers attempting Berg.

The event provided an opportunity to visiting paddlers, who were attending the dinner, to participate in the regular VLC Tuesday evening time trial. With the added appeal to time trial against the current 2016 World K1 and K2 marathon champion, the race attracted over 40 boats including some of Gauteng’s top paddling crews. The current course record was shattered by over three minutes and the top three boats just managing to pip Hank who was kind enough to take local youngster Colin Ledwaba in a K2.

The event then moved into the banquet room at VLC for dinner, where everyone who had managed to get tickets was provided an opportunity to put forward questions to Hank. Colin Simpkins from CSA proceeded to interview him and pose some of these questions to Hank. Hank provided some rare insights into his path to success, some of the challenges he faced and also some perspectives on what it takes and is like to be a top performer and multiple world champion.

Overall it was a wonderful opportunity to engage with Hank and get some great insights into the life of one of South Africa’s true sporting legends. On a lighter note Colin was also given a host of questions some of which were really irrelative to canoeing but very funny keeping the crowd entertained. All the while he was throwing back the shooters that were set up from the “FINES” Committee for really dumb questions (the person who submitted the question should have had the fine, but nobody got near them as Copper used any excuse to slug them!)

e VLC Development and THE PROCEEDS OF THE EVENING WILL BE DIRECTED TO THE vlc DEVELOPMENT AND Novice paddling programmes to encourage growth in the sport.

The evening was a great success and provided a rare opportunity for Gauteng paddlers from all clubs to get together, to have a casual dice and then rub shoulders with the best in the world.

The proceeds of the evening will be directed to thBY WAYNE SAUNDERS

Learn to paddle a SURFSKI on the sea.

All equipment provided and all levels accepted.

Meet new people and discover a great lifestyle activity.

079 027 4031

Kyle Friedenstein

Pennypinchers / Buco Easter Surfski The BUCO Adventure weekend, held in Plettenberg Bay every year, over the Easter weekend, ended in a photo finish on the last event of the weekend. The final of the BUCO Dash for Cash surf ski dice saw a knock out format wheedle down 20 paddlers to 2. The cream rose to the top with Jasper Mocke winner of the mornings 12km Surf Ski Race and Richard Von Wildemann making

it to the final. Both paddlers had progressed through three rounds to get to the final.

The 1000m Dash around the Blind Rocks of the Central Beach is a flat out sprint and some skill and luck is required to get back to the beach first. Both paddlers approached the beach on the same wave but outside the two finishing flags, then both

fell out and had to carry their skis through the flags. A desperate lunge from Von Wildemann saw him pip a very disappointed Mocke who had held a slight lead all the way. Richard Von Wildemann has paddled in all 10 editions of the Easter Surf Ski Challenge and was super stoked by his win, pocketing the R5000-00 on hand.

IMAGES: Glen Murray Photography

We have a tough group of youngsters coming through if SA Schools Sprints is anything to go by. They battled the wind and the waves and one could have made an epic movie out of the story.

After a lot of clever thinking from Richard Kohler and crew, SAS was held on Buffeljags Dam just outside Swellendam, it is essentially an irrigation dam for the surrounding area so apart from one broken down toilet there was nothing useful for a three day regatta. This meant that the organisers had to bring in everything: toilets, showers and enough water for the hundreds of people over the three days plus lay out nine temporary sprint lanes which they did to the amazement of us all. The

great thing about Buffeljags Dam is that it is deep, very deep in fact, and so it makes an awesome venue for sprints.

We all arrived on the evening of 27 April to calm waters and one of those sunsets where you should be reaching for two glasses and a bottle of your favourite wine, while you watch the eager paddlers working out the stiffness of a long time in the car.

The dam was a buzz of activity while people registered, set up their boats and gazebos, met up with old friends, and team managers planned for the next day.

Day 1

As the sun came up over the dam it was calm and beautiful so a number

SA School Sprints of the competitors went about warming up either on land or in the water and got ready for some serious racing. Then the wind arrived! To the organisers credit they did try and run the first races because it did not look ‘that bad’ at the finish, but 1000m away at the start it was causing chaos. The paddlers lining up in their super skinny boats without splash covers had no answer for the waves that came tumbling over the top of their decks and into the cockpit.

It made turning nearly impossible and several boats sank at the start or within 50m. By 10am the wind was a challenge and by 11am it was impossible as it gusted well over 25 knots, blowing boats across the lawn and threatening to tear down all the tents. The paddlers who did venture out put up an incredible fight to try and sprint 1000m into the

wind and the waves. Well done to the paddlers, coaches and families who took on the conditions and tried to make the most of it. Eventually racing was postponed until 3pm in the hope that the wind would drop by then. Fortunately it did, and the lanes were mended, with racing kicked off in earnest as everyone tried to make up lost time and give all the age groups a chance to race on day one. It was simply not possible to get the guppies onto the water before the sun set, leaving the organisers with a huge catch up for day two.

Day 2

The wind arrived long before the participants were up and ready,

once again forcing the organisers to postpone racing until the conditions improved. The organisers, in a stroke of genius, decided to hold day one prize giving while the wind whipped up the water. By 9.30am the wind appeared to be dropping sufficiently to allow the U18 boys to race the 500m at 10am. The first heat was run and then after much debate about safety and conditions, it was decided to continue the heats. This was in the hope that the conditions would improve allowing everyone the opportunity to compete. The rules about splash covers and buoyancy were strictly enforced in the pounds.

All credit goes to the pounds and race officials that managed to march the competitors through the gate and in fact made up time during the day. This is no mean feat - with nearly 200 competitors and working

on an evolving schedule because of the wind - they did unbelievably well to get everyone through the pounds.

The children were not deterred by the wind, they gave it their all and not once did I hear a complaint. We cannot get over how determined the juniors were, first K1 then K2 and finally LC K1 late in the afternoon.

This allowed for prize giving for day two to kick off at about 6pm – a great way to finish the day.

We were also honoured to have the Executive Mayor of the Overberg, Rdh / Ald AE Franken drop in to see how the regatta was going. As a keen paddler himself he was instrumental in our bid to secure the use of the dam for the five days spanning the long weekend. It was an honour to be able to show him how well the regatta was going and thank him in person.

Day 3

The first couple of heats got under way before the wind arrived. But when it did everyone was better prepared and catch up prize giving for day two was held while the wind was at its worst. Day three was the 200m day. Straight after prize giving the LC K2 boys race was run,

followed by the girls race. It was very interesting watching the race strategies being adopted and played out on the water. The paddlers may be friends off the water, but on the water it was a different story. The top paddlers did not give an inch away using the marathon rules to their full advantage. In the boys it was the U18 team of Stewart Little and Joshua Giddings that lead most of the way leaving Alex Masina and Ulvard Hart to ride their slip. In the end they did not have the strength to keep it up and Alex and Ulvard snuck past to take the win. In a very interesting turn of events, while everyone was watching the titanic battle between the leading boats, the U16 team of David Evans and Hamish Mackenzie managed to put in some very hard intervals and catch up to the U18 teams that had left minutes before. They skilfully rode their wake without getting too caught up in the battle for the rest of the race allowing them to post the fastest time on the course.

Courageous paddling combined with brilliant thinking!

In the girls race a similar race strategy was applied by the boat of Rebecca Meihuizen and Jackie van der Westhuyzen and it was very close until the end of lap four when they missed the turn buoy forcing

a 360 around it before they could continue. By the time they looked up from their U – turn the boat of Megan Oelofse and Zara Wood was disappearing down the bottom end of the straight giving them a comfortable win.

Day three is a great day to be a spectator as the main focus is the 200m races. This means that one is able to watch the race from start to finish while standing on the bank.

The spectators made the most of it: they screamed, cheered and cajoled their respective paddlers from start to finish. It was extraordinary to watch and definitely helped, as a lot of the heats and finals came down to the wire with John Oliver having to make the final call using his timing equipment. It speaks volumes about the quality of the paddlers coming through our ranks when the heats and finals have to be decided on a review of the tape. It is one thing to do it once a day but to keep up the intensity through the heats and in to the final is no mean feat.

While the racing was intense, nail biting stuff off the water the children seemed to revel in the opportunity to make new friends. Between races one could find them playing touch rugby, bobbing about on the inflatable crocs or just chilling

together. The best must be when on day two and three they started to swop boats and raced each other’s boats in the heats.

Hats off to the organisers for firstly finding the only patch of deep water for miles around. Most of

the dams in the Western Cape are well below the 20% level. Secondly for hosting such a fantastic event.

The wind played havoc with the timing, schedule and lanes and after each gale Richard and his crew would head out and do their best to straighten the lanes before the next

set of races.

Lastly a big thumbs up to the competitors, families and coaches who travelled from all four corners of South Africa to attend the regatta.

Stanford

I would love to live like a river flows, carried by the surprise of its own unfolding.

John O’Donohue

The Stanford River Festival At the beginning of April we treated

ourselves to a road trip and festival of paddling and boy are we glad we did. The festival is set in the beautiful town of Stanford, a 20 minute drive outside Hermanus, on the Klein River. It is a three day festival: Friday a social paddle, Saturday is race day and Sunday was a stunning social paddle down the Klein River in to the lagoon before heading home.

On the way there the wind howled,

to the extent that our very expensive canoe wedges gave way, and with a loud crack we suddenly had our K2 swing around across the fast lane of the N2. This necessitated a quick stop to buy more tie downs and after some nifty manoeuvring we were once again on our way. On our way through Hermanus it started to rain and we were left wondering what the conditions would be like when we got there.

By the time we got to Stanford the wind had dropped and the skies cleared to make for a great social afternoon paddle. After that it was time to rush home, light the fire and plan our strategy for the next day.

We awoke to a stunning day in Stanford. As we headed down to the river we understood why they

called it a festival – it was amazing.

The day before there was just grass on the river bank, now there where people selling good coffee and a host of breakfast things to choose from.

Plus there were hundreds of people milling about, having breakfast, getting ready and catching up with friends before the race. There was also a wonderful array of craft. All sorts of people took to the water under the watchful eye of the NSRI. There were paddlers, kayakers, stand-up paddle boarders and rowers in attendance.

The principle behind the Saturday racing was simply to have ‘there and back’ type challenges where people could choose the distance that was most appropriate for them.

There were three possible courses

to choose from depending on one’s level of fitness. The 5km; for the SUP’s and people new to canoeing, the 10km for the more adventurous and the 15km for the serious paddler. The 15km race also formed part of the Presidents Trophy races so there were some top competitors’ lining up on the start line – eager to grab some of the first points on offer for the season. We set off in an elapsed time manner with the 15km paddlers going off first, then the 10km and finally the 5km. This worked out really well because it meant that all the paddlers ‘met up’ on the paddle back which is lots of fun. While most of the people on the river were making the most of the clean water and warm weather there were some at the sharp end of the race determined to make it on

to the podium and claim the points on offer. It is exhilarating to have these people come flying past you as they paddle in their well sculptured diamond formations, a motivation to everyone on the water.

Prize giving was a wonderful, relaxed affair with lots of lucky draw prizes to be claimed by the competitors now lounging under the marques.

The organisers also arranged for a number of raffles to be sold in support of the Stanford Canoe Club Development Team which were very well supported and eagerly anticipated at the end of prize giving.

Sunday’s race was meant to be a ‘there and back’ route, but considering it was another beautiful day in Stanford a number of the competitors suggested a change, to

paddle from Stanford to Hermanus Yacht Club. Fortunately the race organiser was easily persuaded and after a 20 minute delay, in order for paddlers to make alternative plans, the band of eager paddlers set off. With only the thought of a big lunch in mind the paddlers were in no rush as they made their way down the meandering river and then through the reeds in to the breath taking view of the lagoon on a picture prefect day. All that was left to do was a 4km stretch across the lagoon while watching other water enthusiasts making full use of the gorgeous day.

As I mentioned in my introduction, it was well worth the trip!

VLC Cake Race Series Three river races over three months to get your proficiency and build you up to Fish 2017.

In the spirit of developing our sport and encouraging novices to

get experience and qualify early in the season, VLC is hosting the VLC Cake Race Series. This is a series of river races on the Klip River, designed specifically to provide novices and experienced paddlers the opportunity to build up their skill, proficiency and fitness leading up to South Africa’s most popular river race, the Fish River Marathon 2017. To encourage and support this camaraderie, we have replaced the traditional prize money with cakes a cake for the first K2 with a novice, the first mixed double or ladies K2 with a novice, and the first K1 with a novice. Everyone is welcome to enter ,but we would really like to encourage as many experienced paddlers to get out there and take a novice if they can. (Definition of Novice in this case is someone who is paddling in their first racing season.)

The Cake Series is designed specifically to build you up from 15km on the river in May to 32km in July. The events are intentionally low key with no prize money attached, the entry fee going towards providing each paddler with

something to eat and drink and a few lucky draw prizes.

Race Series Dates Saturday 3 June 1.30pm – Meyerton Sports Ground to Waterfront – Distance 23km Sunday 9 July 9am – Heidelberg Bridge – Caravan Park – Distance 30km Pre Entry Details: Pre Entries close midnight Wednesday before the race http://www.gcu.co.za/race/onlinerace-entry-form/ (Please remember if you are after the deadline, bring your POP to the race: no payment no race.)

ENTRY RULES • No paddler will be allowed to race on the day if they are not registered with GCU AND must have completed their proficiency tests.

• New members must register in order to get a CSA number before any race.

• PFD’s and Buoyancy checks will be conducted beforehand and if not sufficient you will not be allowed to race.

thailand

Thailand Land of smiles and more

Schalk Lewan Van Zyl

Thailand is well known for its beautiful beaches, breath-taking islands, mouth-watering street food and most of all the smiles and friendliness of its people. The weather is always sunny it is always hot and there is plenty of water all over for anyone who likes canoeing and kayaking, but how competitive is Thailand really?

Recent achievements include: Aoy Orasa Tiengkratok who got the gold medal for C1W200 (49.984s) in the Asian cup 2016 and Pingpong Suradesh Namtaotong who won a gold medal for MKL3 (44.448s) in Asian Para canoe sprint Championships 2016. Striving to become the best in Thailand the juniors stepped up to the challenge at the Thailand Youth Games held on (18 – 24 March 2017) in the city of Chum Phon.

The Thailand Youth Junior Games 2016 The city of Chumphon is a wellknown city for travellers as this is where they take the fairies to the islands of Ko Pangnaan and Ko thao, but now there is a different type of commotion as hundreds of athletes from all over Thailand flock to the city to prove themselves in the games, and make their families proud.

Thailand is a land of tradition and such a prestigious event would require opening that is worthy, and the Thai people did exactly that.

Similar to the Olympic opening ceremony Thailand holds their own opening ceremony for the Thai games where the athletes walk into the stadium one province after the other, receiving a hero’s welcome from the mass of proud supporters gathered in the stadium.

These honoured athletes from (77) provinces then appear on the field, as they sing the national anthem and pay respect to their king. They witness the torch bearer run half a track and hand the torch over to the next athlete this athlete then carries the torch the rest of the way to ignite the Thailand Youth Junior Games flame and spectacular firework marking the official start of the games as the racing starts the

next day.

Dragon boats are by far the biggest form of water sport in Thailand. With Thailand currently ranking 5th in the world and producing some of the best athletes in the field, the youngsters are sure to put up a show for the crowd as they expect split seconds to separate the podium finishers.

Sadly this year on the way to the games the team from Mukdahan Province got into an accident when their van was involved in an accident causing the team to miss the opening. On the night of the ceremony it seemed that they would not be able to compete.

Battered and bruised these brave boys and girls were ready and eager to compete the next morning, a few stiches were not going to keep them from stepping up to the challenge, determination would see them compete in the sport they love and walking away with a Bronze medal in the 5 man traditional long boat 1000m and 200m Traditional Long boats are hand made from wood with exceptional skill. It is believed that the spirits that lived in the trees are now in these beautiful long tail boats. The Athletes and the Coaches

honour these spirits in the early morning before the racing starts by decorating the front of the long tail boat with flowers. The reason behind the flowers is that the spirits are female, after the decoration is finished merit is made and they are ready to race.

Canoe and kayak sprints Thailand is not well known for its sport or its athletes. They are but a whisper in the world of canoeing, that is certaining growing louder.

In preparation for the world championships that are around the corner some of the most competitive racing was about to transpire.

Amongst the Thai people it is seen as a great honour for your family school and province if you are to achieve a place on the podium. The heats were interesting having one or two canoes battling it out for first position and the other canoes a few seconds slower. The finals were a different game all together, the paddlers wanted those medals and they were there to prove they deserved them. Nail biting photo finishes for first, second and third was the norm of the day. With the games done and dusted the athletes now have their eyes on the world sprint championship in Hungary.

Berg River Marathon 12 - 15 July 2017

IMAGES: Cape Town Sports Photography

In the middle of winter when the nights are long and the days are cold, most people tuck in to bed, hibernate and plan their spring comeback. Not so for a hardy group of paddlers that have been waiting all year for the rains to come and soak the valley’s that make up the Berg River. And the rains do come in the form of icy cold fronts that come whipping off the Atlantic Ocean. To be waiting for these conditions you need to be tough, very tough. Then there are the distances that you need to cover, 240km in total in just four days – no mean feat in itself: Day 1 – 62km Day 2 – 46km Day 3 – 74km Day 4 – 60km.

Did we mention that you need to be tough to sign up for this race? But what a race to do! It is the longest canoe race in South Africa by about 130km and it has only one more day than its closest competitor.

As you know, the Western Cape is in the middle of a severe drought so we popped over to their website to see what they had to say about the racing conditions. ‘Water levels

in the Berg river between Paarl and the lower tidal reaches of the river are extremely low, and the feeder dams are equally depleted.’ But “We are committed to holding the race as planned from 12 to 15 July, but we will keep a close eye on the water situation and adjust the race route if needed,” said race committee chairman Andre Collins. Well that is good news for all those paddlers that have been donning their beanies every time they go for a paddle in order to be ready for The Berg. We don’t think that it’s a bad thing to be able to stretch your legs on a portage or two during the long 74kms of day three.

Ok, so you have done the miles and you have entered the race – what should you pack? This is probably the ONLY race in South Africa where wearing a beanie is cool. Yip, pack at least two, bring brightly coloured ones, bring old Santa Claus hats – it really does not matter – just make sure that you pack them. The water is chilly and the cold seeps through your boat and numbs the parts that you instinctively cover when a four year old comes running. So get a

pair of neoprene pants at least to try and keep those warm. Next is good shoes, not that we expect you to have to run / walk as long as that race in February, but you never know and good shoes will keep your feet off the bottom of the boat and away from the chilly water. Lastly it is time to think about your top half. For some really good ideas have a look at the Tripper Sports Gear and Gadegt section, because they have nailed it.

You need a wind breaker that does not absorb water – there are times when you may have to paddle in to a headwind, in the rain or simply get an early start to the morning. You do not want to be losing your body heat and nor can you paddle dressed like the abominable snowman.

Pack lots of easy food to eat. The trick to enjoying stage races is to remember that you are not eating just to get through today – you are eating to replenish for tomorrow’s race as well. If you do not look after your nutrition today – you will have nothing in the tank for tomorrow.

Day three is an incredible 74km. You need to eat well on day one and two to be ready for that. Each person will

have their own preference in energy gels so bring lots of which ever you prefer. We are certainly not doctors or nutritionists, but we would also recommend the following to be eaten along the route: Boiled baby potatoes smothered in butter and a little salt Hard boiled eggs Banana Chips Granola Bars – bought or homemade Chocolate - rich dark chocolate preferable, just in case I am next to you.

Lots of good coffee See Page 46 for some easy snack recipes Some paddlers and seconders are good enough to drop juice/ snacks

from the various bridges along the way. We do not advocate this practice because inevitably the ‘flotation’ device ends up being discarded into the river and we really do not need more plastic in our rivers.

Start eating as soon as you get off the water, try and have 150g biltong handy, a pasta salad etc.. so that you can eat while you get out of your paddling kit.

WHAT TO EXPECT ON THE RIVER Day one and two require a lot of negotiating around tree blocks and Palmiet islands for a start so it helps to paddle with one of the people that have made this race an annual pilgrimage. There are a

few rapids and shoots that need to be negotiated. I think that most of the swims happen due to a lack of concentration or simply a frozen body not reacting fast enough.

The trick is to find the right line particularly in the low water. Here a mistake can have you clambering over trees or walking your way down a rapid which is frustrating to say in the least. Day three and fourare generally long flat pulls.

Your ability to find a group that you are comfortable with and that you can work with are pivotal to having a good day. If this race teaches you anything it will be how to work together. We do have to highlight some of the no –no’s on the river: 1. Asking an experienced

Berger to show you the way down a rapid and then banging their rudder all the way down.

2. Sitting on the diamond for hours and not taking your turn. Get someone in the group to call it; every 1km, 10 minutes – whatever you decide and then take your turn, but don’t turn it in to a interval session!

3. Being helped throughout the race only to put the hammer down in the last 3km of the race.

4. Not waiting your turn through the tree block or rapid. Nobody wants to

swim, the water is cold and it takes a long time to recover.

Wait your turn, be mindful of other paddlers and if you do want to get past there are 35km plus every day to practice your sprints.

5. If you are on the back of a diamond don’t bump the boat in front of you. Your only job is to sit there and have a free ride so do just that. This is not the time for a quick game of bumper cars.

6. Don’t be rude to your seconder – it is just embarrassing to everyone in the vicinity.

The last thing to mention is that there are the following cut off times taken off the Berg website: The paddlers must have departed from the bridge by that time or they will be requested to leave the river/ race: Day 1 – Hermon bridge 15h30 Day 2 – Train bridge 15h30 Day 3 – Klipheuwel low level bridge 15h00 All paddlers must reach the finish of the days racing by 6.00pm on days 1, 2 and 3 in order to be allowed to continue the race. The final cut off for day 4 will be 3.30pm at the finish of the race in Velddrif.

The winter chill is upon us!

At Tripper we know that you do not want to stay out of the water so we have a range to keep you warm at the icy waters of races like The Berg River Canoe Marathon.

Get Geared Up with TRIPPER today!

KAG

This garment is manufactured from 100% waterproof coated nylon and is designed to keep the wearer warm and dry in extreme weather conditions. The garment is sealed at the neck and cuffs with neoprene and has an elasticated waist band. A feature of the garment is that the shoulder area has no stitched seams which would allow water to ingress the garment. The first seam on the garment is located at midchest height allowing for maximum waterproofing. This garment is exceptional for excluding water and wind and as a result of the collar and cuff seals, body heat is maintained.

www.trippersports.com +27 31 209 3649 +27 82 562 7411 70 Ramsay Avenue, Berea, Durban

The Chill Cheater

The chill cheater is a pullover jacket made from windproof and water repellant fabric. The fabric is extremely light and the garment folds easily into a pocket or belt pouch. The garment features an elasticated waist, lycra neck and armbands for exceptional comfort and reduced risk of chaffing. The garment features reflective piping for safety.

This garment is extremely effective in keeping the wearer dry in light showers and will stop wind chill. A safety feature of the garment is the raglan cut of the sleeves which allows the wearer to swim in the garment without water pooling in the sleeves.

Chill Cheater – Long pants

The chill cheater long pants are made from windproof and water repellant fabric. The fabric is extremely light and the garment folds easily into a supplied pocket bag. The garment features an elasticated waist and thigh length zips. The thigh length zips facilitate the easy putting on and taking off of the pants without first having to remove boots or bulky footwear. The garment also has a waist drawstring. Apertures in the sides of the trousers allow the wearer to access pockets of garments worn under the chill cheater pants. This garment is extremely comfortable and effective in keeping the wearer dry in light showers and will stop wind chill.

3 Litre Drinking System

Consists of a drip bag with fully insulated covering with three attachment points. Bladder is a drip bag coupled to latex or meditube tubing. Liquid flow is controlled by ratchet clamp. System is sump fed allowing easy filling, draining and cleaning with no residue fluids after draining. The bladder is strongly constructed with high frequency welded seams that can withstand temperature range from boiling to freezing. All materials are medical grade and carcinogen free.

5 INGREDIENT PEANUT BUTTER ENERGY BITES

chefsavvy.com

TIME: 10 MINS MAKES: 12 BITES INGREDIENTS 2/3 cup creamy peanut butter 1/2 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips 1 cup old fashioned oats 1/2 cup ground flax seeds 2 tablespoons honey INSTRUCTIONS Combine all 5 ingredients in a medium bowl. Stir to combine. Place in the refrigerator for 15-30 minutes so they are easier to roll. Roll into 12 bites and store in the fridge for up to a week.

Simple, Soft and Chewy Granola Bars inspiredtaste.net Adam and Joanne Gallagher @

TIME: PREP 20mins COOK 10mins MAKES: 12 bars

INGREDIENTS 2 1/2 cups old fashioned rolled oats 1/2 cup whole almonds, coarsely chopped 1/3 cup honey 1/4 cup unsalted butter, cut into pieces 1/4 cup packed light brown sugar 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt 1/2 cup dried cranberries, coarsely chopped 1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons mini chocolate chips

baking sheet then bake 5 minutes, stir and bake another 3 to 5 minutes until lightly toasted. Transfer to a large bowl.

MAKE BARS Combine butter, honey, brown sugar, vanilla extract and the salt in a small saucepan over medium heat. Cook, stirring occasionally until butter melts and the sugar completely dissolves.

TOAST OATS AND NUTS Heat oven to 180 degrees C. Line bottom and sides of a 8-inch or 9-inch square pan with tin foil. Then lightly oil or spray with cooking spray.

Pour butter mixture in to bowl with toasted oats and almonds. Mix well.

Let cool about 5 minutes then add cranberries and a 1/4 cup of the mini chocolate chips. Stir to combine.

(The chocolate chips will most likely melt a little. This is fine, they turn into glue and help to hold the bars together).

Add oats and almonds to a small

Transfer oat mixture to lined pan

DIRECTIONS

then use a rubber spatula or damp finger tips to firmly press the mixture into the pan. (Press hard here, this way the bars will stay together once cooled and cut — We press for about one minute to be extra safe).

Scatter remaining 2 tablespoons of chocolate chips over pressed granola mixture then use a rubber spatula to gently press them into the top. Cover then refrigerate at least 2 hours. Remove block of granola mixture from pan then peel away aluminum foil. Cut into 12 bars.

Store bars in an airtight container for up to one week. For the softest bars, keep at room temperature.

For slightly harder bars, store in the fridge.

Get your

EA S T ERN C A P E DATE JULY SUN 9 FRI 14

RACE

RACE Harbour 2 Heads Border Winter Series

SUN 15 - SAT 16 Knysna Festival Canoe Polo SUN 23 Pam Golding Winter Challenge

DETAILS Knysna, 22km

on!

CONTACT Darren Berry 083 671 9399 secretary@bordercanoeclub. co.za

Knysna St Francis Canal, 10 & 20km

Nelson 072 277 7664 info@stfrancispaddlingclub.co.za

AUGUST FRI 4

Border Winter Series

secretary@bordercanoeclub. co.za

FRI 11

Border Winter Series

secretary@bordercanoeclub. co.za

FRI 18

Border Winter Series

secretary@bordercanoeclub. co.za

SAT 26

Kowie Intercity Challenge

secretary@bordercanoeclub. co.za

SEPTEMBER SAT 23

Pre-Fish

info@karoo-river-rafting.co.za

OCTOBER SUN 1

Gamtoos Challenge

FRI 6 - SAT 7 SUN 15

Hansa Fish Marathon SA K2 John Woods Challenge

FRI 20

Border Summer Series

secretary@bordercanoeclub. co.za

FRI 27

Border Summer Series

secretary@bordercanoeclub. co.za

Gamtoos, Jeffrey’s Bay, 10 & 20km Fish River, Craddock, 84km

JUNE SAT 3

RACE Florida 25 Flat

DeWetP2@dwa.gov.za secretary@bordercanoeclub. co.za

G AU T EN G DATE

info@stfrancispaddlingclub.co.za

DETAILS

CONTACT

FLCC

SAT 10

McGregor Series Dabulamanzi CC, Race 1: Euro Steel Emmerentia, 8am, 4 or 8km

SUN 11 SAT 24 SAT 24

K1 Marathon at JCC Watuni Vaal Berg 1 Schools League / K4 Watuni

JCC Vaal Vaal

Jan Leonard 083 680 5952 Tracey Watkins 082 564 0163

JULY SUN 2 SAT 15

JCC Berg C/Watuni Berg Sasol Dam to Dam

Lido Hotel to Scout Hall Trichardspruit Dam

Martin vd Bergh 072 302 9799 Sean Boyley 083 449 1661

mcgregorpaddleseries. co.za

Ponta do Ouro

Orange River Mouth

Tugela River Mouth

Port St Johns Dassen Island Cape Agulhas

SALDANHA PORT CONTROL Tel: 022 714 1726 Stn. 24 Lambert’s Bay – 060 960 3027 Stn. 04 Mykonos – 082 990 5966 Stn. 34 Yzerfontein – 082 990 5974

CAPE TOWN PORT CONTROL Tel: 021 449 3500 Stn. 18 Melkbosstrand – 082 990 5958 Stn. 03 Table Bay – 082 990 5963

Seal Point

Great Fish River Mouth

Maritime Rescue Coordination Centre (MRCC) Tel: 021 938 3300 NSRI HQ: 021 434 4011 MOSSEL BAY PORT CONTROL Tel: 044 604 6271 Stn. 33 Witsand – 082 990 5957 Stn. 31 Still Bay – 082 990 5978 Stn. 15 Mossel Bay – 082 990 5954 Stn. 23 Wilderness – 082 990 5955 Stn. 12 Knysna – 082 990 5956

EAST LONDON PORT CONTROL Tel: 043 700 2100 Stn. 07 East London – 082 990 5972 Stn. 28 Port St Johns – 082 550 5430

DURBAN PORT CONTROL Tel: 031 361 8567 Stn. 32 Port Edward – 082 990 5951 Stn. 20 Shelly Beach – 082 990 5950 Stn. 05 Durban – 082 990 5948

Stn. 14 Plettenberg Bay – 082 990 5975

RICHARDS BAY PORT CONTROL Tel: 035 753 1991

Stn. 10 Simon’s Town – 082 990 5965

P.E. PORT CONTROL Tel: 041 507 1911

INLAND DAMS AND LAKES

Stn. 16 Strandfontein – 082 990 6753

Stn. 36 Oyster Bay – 082 990 5968

Stn. 22 Vaal Dam – 083 626 5128

Stn. 09 Gordon’s Bay – 072 448 8482

Stn. 21 St Francis Bay – 082 990 5969

Stn. 27 Victoria Lake – 060 991 9301

Stn. 17 Hermanus – 082 990 5967

Stn. 37 Jeffreys Bay – 079 916 0390

Stn. 25 Hartbeespoort Dam – 082 990 5961

Stn. 29 Air Sea Rescue – 082 990 5980

Stn. 06 Port Elizabeth – 082 990 0828

Stn. 35 Witbank Dam – 060 962 2620

Stn. 30 Agulhas – 082 990 5952

Stn. 11 Port Alfred – 082 990 5971

Stn. 38 Theewaterskloof – 072 446 6344

Stn. 02 Bakoven – 082 990 5962 Stn. 08 Hout Bay – 082 990 5964 Stn. 26 Kommetjie – 082 990 5979

Stn. 19 Richards Bay – 082 990 5949

CRAIG LAMBINON: 082 380 3800 (Communications)

You can download a digital version of these emergency numbers from our website: http://www.nsri.org.za/emergency-numbers/

DATE

RACE

DETAILS

CONTACT

SAT 22 - SUN 23 GCU Marathon Champs SAT 29 Centurion 9 Miler

ERK Rietvlei Dam

Garth Willis 082 371 4505

AUGUST SAT 19 SUN 27

SAMC Watuni Vaal FLCC Klip

25km Ixoxo Manzi to Caravan Park

Vaughn Steven 082 373 0159

Liebenbergsvlei to Tweeling

Jason Brown 076 112 0402

FRI 29

DABS Liebenbergsvlei Race, SA K3 ERK Nite Race

Homestead Dam, Benoni

Tracey Watkins 082 564 0163

OCTOBER SUN 1 SUN 14 SAT 21 - SUN 22 SAT 28

GCU School League GCU School League Lowveld Croc DABS 4 Hour Enduro

DABS DABS

Tracey Watkins 082 564 0163 Tracey Watkins 082 564 0163

Dabulamanzi Canoe Club

Jason Brown 076 112 0402

SEPTEMBER SAT 16 - SUN 17

K W A - Z ULU NA T AL DATE JUNE SUN 4 SUN 11 SUN 18 SUN 25 JULY SUN 2 SUN 9 SUN 16 SUN 23

FRI 28

RACE

FRI 18

CONTACT

Hansa Surfski Series 6 Hansa Surfski Series 7 Hansa Surfski Series 8 FNB Durban Downwind

Illovo Pirates Umhlanga Pirates 5 Beaches Scottburgh to Brighton World Series event, SA Champs and SA Trials

Share-List Property Season Opener Nedbank Point Water Sport Ski Race 1 Nedbank Point Water Sport Ski Race 2 Nedbank Point Water Sport Ski Race 3

Upper Umgeni, 16km

Lana Allen 082 743 5838

DUC, 9am, 6 and 12km

Jacqui Boyd 082 671 5302

DUC, 9am, 6 and 12km

Jacqui Boyd 082 671 5302

DUC, 9am, 6 and 12km

Jacqui Boyd 082 671 5302

McGregor Series Blue Lagoon, Race 2: Bidvest 5.15pm McCarthy Toyota

SAT 29 - SUN 30 Tugela 20’s SUN 30 Nedbank Point Water Sport Ski Race 4 AUGUST SAT 5 - SUN 6 SAT 12 - SUN 13

DETAILS

KZN Marathon Champs KZN Marathon Champs

DATE TO CHANGE DUC, 9am, 6 and 12km

mcgregorpaddleseries. co.za

Gary Green 082 292 2314 Jacqui Boyd 082 671 5302

Camps Drift, includes Guppy Camps Drift

McGregor Series NCC, PieterRace 3: FNB DICE maritzberg, 5.15pm

mcgregorpaddleseries. co.za

DATE

RACE

SAT 19 - SUN 20 GARA Dolphin Coast Challenge SAT 19 Alex Caruth SUN 20 Table Mountain Descent THU 24 Lance Park Memorial SAT 26 - SUN 27 Da Real Downwind Series Race 1

DETAILS Pirates, KZN Surfski Champs DATE TO CHANGE Table Mountain to Nagle Dam 20km NCC Camps Drift, 16km

CONTACT Barry Lewin 083 710 1351

Andrew Booth Mary Millward 033 342 1528

FRI 28

McGregor Series Blue Lagoon, Race 4: Bidvest 5.15pm McCarthy Toyota

mcgregorpaddleseries. co.za

SAT 26

Varsity/Shongweni

Rob Marriott

SAT 26

Capitol Caterer’s / Popes Canoe School Polo 1 RBM Shaka Challenge

Henry Wood 083 254 1836

TUE 29

Duncan Scotney

ZKC Clubhouse Meerensee, Richards Bay PYC, 16km

McGregor Series Race 5: Euro Steel

NCC, Pietermaritzberg, 5.15pm

mcgregorpaddleseries. co.za

Varsity/Shongweni

Rob Marriott

Pirates - Umdloti, 22km Camps Drift

Angus Ferguson 083 309 9249

KCC, Blue Lagoon, 16km Shongweni Dam

Terry Drummond 083 3262333 Rob Marriott

Camps Drift to Moto-X Weir Pirates - Umdloti, 22km

Anton Venter 0833 347 1766 Angus Ferguson 083 309 9249

Upper Umgeni 9am, Camps Drift, Pietermaritzberg Richards Bay to Mtunzini, 35km

Helmut Bruss 082 780 0134

Neels Meyer 083 231 0919

SEPTEMBER

FRI 28 SAT 2

Capitol Caterer’s / Popes Canoe School Polo 2 SAT 2 - SUN 3 Da Real Downwind Series Race 2 SUN 3 Supa Quick Jock Claasens TUE 5 - SUN 10 ICF Marathon World Champs and Masters World Cup THU 7 Eric’s Canoe Shop Race SAT 16 Capitol Caterer’s / Popes Canoe Schools Flat Water Slalom SUN 17 Fezela Classic SAT 23 - SUN 24 Da Real Downwind Series Race 3 SUN 24 Nobby Nel Memorial SAT 30 NCC Boat Auction SAT 30 - SUN 1 OCTOBER SAT 14

Mouth to Mouth Downwind Ski Race

Capitol Caterer’s / Popes Canoe Schools 10 Lap Enduro SAT 14 - SUN 15 Da Real Downwind Series Race 4 SAT 21 - SUN 22 Da Real Downwind Series Race 5

Henry Wood 083 254 1836

Camps Drift

Rob Marriott

Pirates - Umdloti, 22km

Angus Ferguson 083 309 9249

Pirates - Umdloti, 22km

Angus Ferguson 083 309 9249

DATE

RACE

SAT 21 - SUN 22 Dam to Dam 2 Man Relay

SAT 21 - SUN 22 Da Real Downwind Series Race 6 SUN 29 Umpetha Challenge

W E S T ERN C A P E DATE JUNE SAT 3 SUN 4 SAT 10 FRI 16 - SAT 17 SAT 24 SUN 25 JULY SAT 1

DETAILS Day 1, K2, Albert Falls to Cumberland Day 2, K1, Cumberland to Nagle Dam Richards Bay - Pirates, 162km

Angus Warren

Camps Drift to Bishopstowe Hall

Mary Millward 033 342 1528

RACE

DETAILS

Paarl - Skooljie K1 Gordon’s Bay Downwind Junkies Winter Series, Race 3 Gouda to Bridgetown K1 Pink Lady Drakenstein Marathon SA K1 Herman - Goude K1 Gordon’s Bay Downwind Junkies Winter Series, Race 4

Gordon’s Bay

Berg River

Artwell Mhlophe 073 234 0343 Angus Ferguson 083 309 9249

CONTACT Laura van Heerden wpcanoe@gmail.com Gustav@47gyspies.co.za

Gordon’s Bay

Gordon’s Bay

Laura van Heerden wpcanoe@gmail.com Gustav@47gyspies.co.za

Berg River

Gordon’s Bay Downwind Junkies Winter Series, Race 5 WED 11 - SAT 15 Berg River Marathon

Berg River, 240km

SUN 23

Gordon’s Bay

Gordon’s Bay Downwind Junkies Winter Series, Race 6 SAT 29 - SUN 30 Olifants Marathon K1

angus@batechubb.co.za

Laura van Heerden wpcanoe@gmail.com Laura van Heerden wpcanoe@gmail.com Gustav@47gyspies.co.za

Wellington - Hermon

SUN 9

CONTACT

Olifants River

AUGUST SAT 5

Nekkies Eilande K2

WED 9

Wyzersdrift K2

SUN 13 SAT 19

Gordon’s Bay Downwind Junkies Winter Series, Race 7 Drew to Swellendam K2

Breede River

SUN 20

Bontebok K2

Breede River

SAT 26

Alfies to Robertson K2

Breede River

SUN 27

Gordon’s Bay Downwind Junkies Winter Series, Race 8

Gordon’s Bay

Gordon’s Bay

Laura van Heerden wpcanoe@gmail.com Gustav@47gyspies.co.za Laura van Heerden wpcanoe@gmail.com Laura van Heerden wpcanoe@gmail.com Laura van Heerden wpcanoe@gmail.com Gustav@47gyspies.co.za Laura van Heerden wpcanoe@gmail.com Laura van Heerden wpcanoe@gmail.com Laura van Heerden wpcanoe@gmail.com Gustav@47gyspies.co.za

DATE SEPTEMBER SAT 2 SUN 10 SAT 16 - SUN 17 SUN 17

RACE Robertson - Bonnivale K2 Gordon’s Bay Downwind Junkies Winter Series, Race 9 Breede Marathon

DETAILS

CONTACT

Gordon’s Bay

Gustav@47gyspies.co.za

Breede River

Laura van Heerden wpcanoe@gmail.com Gustav@47gyspies.co.za

SAT 23

Gordon’s Bay Downwind Gordon’s Bay Junkies Winter Series, Race 10 Franschoek to Paarl Berg River

SUN 24

Eerste Rivier Heritage Day K1

Laura van Heerden wpcanoe@gmail.com Laura van Heerden wpcanoe@gmail.com

OCTOBER SUN 15 SUN 15 SUN 22 SUN 29 SUN 29

FHBSC 3 Beaches Ski Race Fish Hoek, 6km or 16km Gordon’s Bay Downwind Gordon’s Bay Junkies Winter Series, Race 11 CPC Qualifier Gordon’s Bay Downwind Gordon’s Bay Junkies Winter Series, Race 12 Oceana Surf Ski Challenge

Terrence 079 137 6963 Gustav@47gyspies.co.za Andrew Brouchaert 082 491 3846 Gustav@47gyspies.co.za Robin Tindall robin@ revokayaks.com

A fantastic series of informative books all aimed at improving your paddling experience!

Available from www.lulu.com (just type in “surfski”), or contact author Kevin Brunette: brunette@iafrica.com

IN T ERNA T IONAL DATE JUNE 2 - 4 JUNE 24 - 25 JUNE 26 - JULY 1

RACE ICF Sprint World Cup Durban Downwind Mauritius Ocean Classic

JULY 7 - 9 NELO Summer Challenge JULY 15 - 16

Canadian Surfski Champs

NOVEMBER 25 - 26 DECEMBER 9

Perth Doctor

DETAILS Belgrade www.canoeicf.com durbandownwind.co.za sports.luxresorts.com/en/calendar-of-events/surfski

summerchallenge.nelo.eu

Vancouver canadiansurfskichamps.com JULY 18 - 22 The Gorge Downwind Champs gorgedownwindchamps.com JULY 27 - 30 ICF Sprint Junior and u23 World Championships Pitestis www.canoeicf.com AUGUST 23 - 27 ICF Sprint Senior World Championships and Para World Cup www.canoeicf.com SEPTEMBER 5 - 10 ICF Marathon World Championships and Masters World Cup Pietermaritzberg www.canoeicf.com SEPTEMBER 9 Maraamu Surfski Race Tahiti maraamusurfskirace.com SEPTEMBER 23 Liffey Descent Dublin, Ireland canoe.ie/liffey-descent SEPTEMBER 27 - ICF Slalom World Championships www.canoeicf.com OCTOBER 1 SEPTEMBER 30 - Dutch Coast Race info@surfski-holland.nl OCTOBER 1 OCTOBER 27 - 29 Breizh Ocean Race kayak-brest.com NOVEMBER 4 - 5 Pete Marlin East London bordercanoeclub.co.za/ pete-marlin NOVEMBER 18 Hong Kong Dragon Run thedragonrun.com.hk/the-race.

- 19 html

Palm to Pines

IMAGE: Schalk Lewan Van Zyl

oceanpaddler.com/events/ the-doctor Sydney Coast oceanpaddler.com/events/ palm-2-pines/event-information

View from the back of the boat Paddling Seconds…

A breed like no other!

There is many a story about the adventures had by river canoeists, but rarely is there mention of that hardy bunch of people called seconds.

A second must always beat his paddler by finding roads through obscure farms, jumping locked gates and slushing through mud in their often multi coloured gum boots.

Often standing in the cold, spare paddle, a bar-one, banana and juice bottle in hand hoping that they may get the tiniest acknowledgement from their passing protégé.

Let’s be honest, there is no glamour in sliding down muddy roads or

standing in the pouring rain and the icy wind that blows off snow covered mountains in the Cape Winter but these die hards form a bond as strong or stronger than their counterparts on the river.

There is the stress of staying ahead of their “firsts” and at every vantage point down a river you will hear cries of “has he passed yet” and the relief when the answer is no. On occasion that they have failed, the prettiest wife or girlfriend will turn the air blue voicing their disappointment and anguish.

Some seconds, especially those who follow the elite paddlers at the front of any race are clinically professional in their job, apart from the necessities such as a spare paddle, juice and nutrition, they have a stop watch ready to call the splits of those ahead and report from the last point

how far behind the chasers are.

These seconds can drop a string of jelly beans or a bottle of juice from a bridge 20m above the river so that it lands in such a way that their paddler does not miss a stroke as he collects it…

As a photographer I have witnessed and bonded with these amazing people… who help and support each other through the course of a day or days of a race.

It does not stop when the paddler finishes the days racing, a second is at the end with hot steaming coffee or soup and warm dry clothes for their paddler.

Respect to every one of you!

John Hishin capetownsportphotography.co.za