Paddle Mag 1 2018 February / March

Issue 1 2018

KENNY RICE

Cape of Storms Conqueror

50 Miler review Get your GAME ON for Dusi

+

Full Race Calendars

Warm-Ups with Hayley Nixon

Spot Yourself: Out & About

JCC 2 Day Klip

FEATURES 8 KENNY RICE

Fenn Cape Point Challenge Victor

RACES IN REVIEW 12 50 MILER REPORT and we get to hear your views

34 WARM-UPS

18 STANBIC ZANZIBAR

36 SAFETY 21 DUSI

26JCC 2 DAY KLIP 30 2 HARBOURS

with Hayley Nixon

ADVENTURE PADDLE

REGULARS

6 A WORD FROM YOU 40 OUT AND ABOUT

Spot yourself at PCC & Fishhoek Beach

46 CALENDARS

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

53 VIEW FROM THE BACK OF THE BOAT

NOTE FROM THE ED the

Wow this year has kicked off with a BANG and we are loving it. In the run up to the Dusi paddlers have been dying to dust off the Christmas cobwebs and have entered the 50Miler, the Drak and the JCC 2 Day Klip. The organisers are reporting that they were really happy with the turnout for these three big races. While everyone in KZN seems concerned with the water levels the Klip was paddled at a great level thanks to recent rains in the area.

The stunning thing about being the editor of this magazine is that I actually get the time to do the sport. In so doing I get to meet the most fascinating and inspiring people.

I get to hear the most interesting conversations from performance of boats to athletes to the way in which our governing body is run and almost everyone has suggestions on how it could improve.

The great news is that people most notably race organisers are trying to come up with ideas on how to cope with our ever drying up river beds. From KZN it was encouraging to hear how father and son team of Dave and Andrew Barnett foresaw the problem that the Drak may have and dammed up their own dam by an extra thirty centimetres in order to guarantee a water release on day one. By all accounts ‘it made an unpaddlable river paddlable.’ So a big thumps up to them. In other news the organisers of the Dusi have been able to secure a release of a minimum of seven cumec’s of water for day three. This means that with a little luck we should all get through to Burma and then have to decide from there. Even if we have to walk Burma at least there will be more water going through mango rapid and on to the way home. In the Western Cape organisers are changing races from traditional rivers to more family orientated around the dam/ vlei type races in order to keep the paddling populace happy and in contact with each other. All the race organisers need is willing paddlers who rock up and make the most of it! Sure it is not ideal for the paddler but it is not the organiser’s first choice either. But together we just need to get through this mad season.

If you like me are battling to find a patch of fresh water to train in then it is definitely time to hit the surf and at this time of the year we are spoilt for choice. In Durban the epic FNB Surfski Series is well under way. With the first two being cancelled due to the weather it got going last Friday to everyone’s relief. Going down the coast the Border Summer Series is kicks off on the 2nd Feb so it is definitely time to grab those skis and jump in to the water. Then in Cape Town there are a number of awesome surfski series on the go! Start your week with the Hout Bay Tuesdays Series, on Thursday head across to the Oceana Series and on Friday evening there is the #nevercancelled Seadog Series.

The series races generally offer short and long courses in a relatively safe environment so get out there sign up and paddle your heart out. Who knows – this year you may finally beat your mates!

Send your letters to thepaddlemag@gmail.com

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

on the cover ISSUE 1 / 2018

PADDLER Kenny Rice IMAGE Cape Town Sports Photography EVENT Fenn Cape Point Challenge 2017

CONTRIBUTORS

PHOTOGRAPHY

Jennie Dallas Graham Daniel Lee Furby

Cameron Hudson Jennie Dallas Cape Town Sports Photography

PUBLISHER

AD SALES DESIGNER ADMIN

Michelle Lloyd Jude Hulhuijsen Hayley Nixon

Terrence Pomeroy-Ward thepaddlemag@gmail.com thepaddlemag@gmail.com Tracy Ward thepaddlemag.adm@gmail.com

Romy Parker Issa Rashis (Africa Media)

PUBLISHED ON Issuu.com

A WORD FROM YOU...

Send your letters to thepaddlemag@gmail.com

LETTER from you...

While on holiday at Plet over the Christmas break we often watched a group of guys paddling just past backline. It looked like fun, but unfortunately they were too far out to ask them about it. I hope that you don’t mind but how does one get started – Steve.

Hi Steve Unfortunately you do not say where you are from but clearly Plet is not your home town.

Your first port of call is to head down to your local club. If you just let us know where you live we would be happy to connect your with your closest club.

If you are from up country then we would recommend that your join a club and try out river paddling as a sport that you can do all year round.

If you live on the coast and would like to try surfsking in particular then your best bet is to join a surfski school and get a couple of lessons first (also see our article on safety in this edition). Once you are comfortable in your boat you can then join a social group and paddle off shore.

Whether you take up river or surf paddling we recommend that you find a group of local paddlers to paddle with as they will understand the local conditions and be in the best position to advise you.

Lastly paddling is a bit like learning to ride a bicycle the more you practice the better you will get so enjoy and let us know how it goes!

Cape Point Challenge’s

Man of the Moment...

IMAGES Cape Town Sports Photography

KENNY RICE Interview with Kenny Rice We caught up with Kenny after his fantastic win of the 25th FENN Cape Point Challenge. It was an incredible race with the weather gods delivering the ideal conditions for the event. The morning dawned with a light to moderate 10knt South Easterly wind that was set to drop off during the early part of the morning and then pick up as we approached lunch time.

time campaigners lining up on the start line. On the starting line was Hank McGregor who had won this race seven times and remained undefeated since 2011. Next to him was Jasper Mocké who had come second in 2015 and 2016. The big question here was: is he finally going to take the win that had eluded him for the last two years. Just to their right was Kenny Rice who had steadily been working his way up the ladder from 11th in 2012 to 3rd in 2016 – could this be his year.

It was setting up to be a gigantic battle between the new and old IMAGES Cape Town Photography guard of this race withSports three long-

The speculation was rife! With KZN having taken home the spoils for the last six years could the Western Cape finally keep the cup at home? On the Atlantic side it was too close to call as the leaders came past us.

We were delighted to hear that in the men’s race it was 1st Kenny Rice, 2nd Hank McGregor, 3rd Nicholas Notten, 4th Jasper Mocké. So we went off to chat to Kenny and find out a little about his awesome year.

TPM When did you decide to start racing competitively?

KR Well I guess that I started paddling when I was nine in the vlei and lasted about two years doing sprints but found it a bit boring. I then moved onto other sports like rugby and hockey. It was only when I was 14 that my older brother, Sean Rice, suggested that I should come down to Fish Hoek Surf Lifesaving Club and try paddle during the winter. I remember watching the older boys from the pool table room because I was too scared to go in to the T.V. room where they all were.

Slowly I started Sunday training

which then included Saturday and then Friday afternoon training.

Suddenly I was coming home from school, grabbing my kit, jumping on the 16:15 train to Fish Hoek in order to do a session and spend as much time as possible at the beach every day. I then started training with Nikki MockĂŠ and attending her Monday, Wednesday and Thursday training groups. From there I joined the Orka training squad under Pete Cole and started paddling on Zandvlei. In 2007 Sean (Rice) did his first Cape Point Challenge (CPC) and that really

inspired me to want to do it once I was old enough. I did my first Cape Point Challenge in 2010 with Justin Maddock - He really dragged me around the point ha ha.

TPM What about your training programme do you have a specific race lead up or do you follow a more general programme?

KR The beginning of the year was intentionally quite slow with being unsure of what I wanted to do and really just wanting to focus on having fun after a bit of a demoralising 2016 in terms of the results that I

had expected of myself. Just before CPC 2016 Jasper also came back for his 2016 tour in a similar mind frame and we started knocking out a few Millers Run together and these really ignited my spark again.

With his motivation and positive outlook it really changed my frame of mind and allowed me to get into a good, positive and productive space leading into July.

Initially I did not want to race as there is always the stress of getting ready for the April races and never actually 100% believing I was fit enough. So my focus shifted onto having fun and enjoying every session here with my mates. Our training was geared more at World’s initially, but by the time Worlds came around it more like an opportunity rather than a goal after having such a great July North America tour with THINK Kayaks. At the beginning of the year my goal was to win the U23 title but by the time Worlds came around. It became more like an opportunity to see how well I could

do at the Opens level and upset the ICF system of not being allowed to medal across two age groups.

Unfortunately this was not the case.

However I achieved my goal and a solid 4th place in the Opens which I am stoked with!

TPM You also won at Breizh (France) and the Gorge (USA)?

KR You want to be paddling well in the middle of the year because that is marathon season and the sessions are such quality with everyone being fit. I wanted to make the marathon team with World Champs being in SA. Whilst I was in Canada coaching I realised that I just could not do the last couple of weeks of build up to selections overseas so I just had to accept that I’d give it my best shot after trying to see how well I could do in North America.

My race in France was more of an attempt to see how fit and race ready I was in the build-up and it proved to be spot on. The race had fantastic conditions which really helped the good vibes and it was

great to see my brother again and spend some time with him! I also got an opportunity to train with the French National Team which ended up being great fun!

TPM Do you follow a particular diet?

KR Yes, when I am hungry I eat ha ha! I really try not to eat too badly, but sometimes you cannot help it especially when you are travelling, however what I eat usually depends on what my body is craving. Last year I was quite good about taking in the right things and I learnt a lot about myself through this. I thoroughly enjoy my pasta and garlic broccoli.

Precision Hydration has been great for me recently with learning what I need to eat and drink; when and what, the PH team has taught me so much - I love the stuff! I do keep an eye on a diet plan that was handed down to me from my brother, but saying that I had sushi and a beer at the market down the road the night before Cape Point Challenge!

TPM Talk us through Cape Point

Challenge - Did you do a recon of the route beforehand?

KR Yes we did the race course about three weeks before the race and I spent a few early mornings in the reserve just cruising around looking at the kelp beds in the weeks before CPC. TPM Did you have a strategy going in to the race?

KR Nope! I find it tough to have a strategy in such a long race because I’m usually very unsure where I’ll blow or start to deteriorate and there are so many variables during CPC with reefs and not being able to control other people! Obviously this year was a lucky year and I nailed my hydration and pre-race nutrition so I hardly felt tired at any point, which was so great and such a change to previous years! The biggest variable this year was, and as always, “Is Hank going to go hard at the start?” I have never thought about a race plan but I know somehow the race always happens from the South Western Reefs to Millers. Chances are you are

going to have runs home, you may still be in a bunch, but if you can get the jump on someone there it will make a difference. By the time you get to Millers it is a straight line so if someone is 50m behind you at the start of that they are going to stay 50m behind you unless you mess up drastically.

TPM At which point in the race did you realise that you had it?

KR At the lighthouse I was loving every second of the runs and I knew I was in such a happy space surfing it would be tough to catch up any significant time over 20 minutes of runs! At the start I knew that if I got to Millers first, I would win. Getting there first would be the tough part! There were a few significant moments early on where I thought, “Okay I could come first or second” but I kept in mind that a lot could change going through South Western reefs with you still having to get through the kelp beds where you use a lot of energy for almost no reward.

TPM Looking to 2018 what is next?

KR This year I would like to improve my average results - I don’t want to come first on a good day and come sixth on a bad day. I would like to be coming first and if I have a bad day, come third. Saying that though, I don’t ever want to make winning everything but rather learn from ‘bad’ results (no result is ever bad) and reflect on what was learnt positively so that when you do win you can really appreciate the moment and value what it means.

Maintaining the fun aspect and just trying to be one tiny step better than what I was the day before will be my main focus!

Races coming up for Kenny: Manly Wharf Bridge to Beach on 25th February (Sydney). Eurochallenge Surfski 28 - 1May (Alicante).

Canadian Surfski Champs 14th July.

Gorge Downwind Champs 16 – 21 July and anything else I can fit in between!

50 MILER Water is key to life, and while Cape Town struggles with a lack of available water, the rest of the country is taking note that water management is just as important as water utilisation. To this end, the organisers of the 50 Miler Canoe Marathon, Umzinyathi Canoe Club (UZCC), made an incredible effort to ensure a release of water for their annual race, held this year on the 13th of January. The limited release ensured that paddlers would have enough water to attempt all the rapids in preparation for the Dusi Canoe Marathon, happening in mid-February. UZCC moved the date of their race closer to the Dusi to serve this purpose specifically, and was met with great praise from the paddling fraternity. The move meant the race was back on the calendar in a position, relative to the Dusi, which could be raced hard, but also have significant training benefits and would also be a good tripping event through the Valley. The result was that most paddlers preparing for the Dusi lined up for this year’s edition of the 50 Miler, presented by StaminoGro, to either test their chosen partners, gauge their fitness and training or gain value river knowledge and

experience .

It’s always interesting to see the combinations arrive in the big test event of the season, after speculation of who would be partnering with who, who was fit, who was injured and who had survived the long training session over the Festive Season which needed to be done. Omnipresent on the line was the combination for Birkett and McGregor possibly a combination of the two best marathon / river paddlers in the world right now. Their simple presence on the start-line must have intimated the strongest of minds wishing to compete against them. That being said, the pairing of the young Houston Brothers, third in the last edition of the Dusi K2 event, was not phased in the least by the duo of World Champions. Buoyed by a good season of training the Brothers hit the water hard from the gun and pushed through Mission Rapid, the first obstacle of the race, in a close second place. They were tracking Birkett & McGregor’s every move and waiting for a mistake, to pounce and push their point home. The winner of the 50 Miler always gets a confidence boost by having this title in their bag.

Indeed, some small mistakes were made, and the Houston Brothers pushed through Washing Machine, Slide and to Ibis Point in first place.

Through Gauging Weir and over the take-out at the famous Ngumeni Hill.

Now the legs would do the talking and Hank made a call to his partner to make a move,

IMAGES Cameron Hudson

knowing how strong Andy was at running. They crested the climb in first place and made the difference where it needed to be made.

Their river skills, knowledge and experience - and some incredible paddling ability - would get through to the finish line in first place barring any mistakes. The Brothers pressed on as hard as they could, now limiting their losses, looking to bank the experience as a good one which might spark some confidence that Birkett and McGregor are indeed human, and could possibly be beaten. This is what makes this racing so fascinating to witness and see the paddlers grow, develop and push onto greater heights.

Interestingly, being the champion that he is, McGregor relishes the opportunity and challenges the younger athletes to beat him, spurring them on to be greater than he is and helping them, and the sport, in the process. It is a privilege for all contenders to be on the water, racing a ten time marathon World Champion. At 40 years old, McGregor is showing no signs of slowing down, letting up or backing off - in fact he wants to push harder and claim another Dusi victory. McGregor is mindful of the tale about the victor of the

50 Miler not being the one to stand on the top step of the Dusi podium, but he is quick to remind everyone that he won the K2 50 Miler in 2005 and Dusi combination with Martin Dreyer in 2006. Drilling down into McGregor’s Dusi history is something quiet special, but that’s for another article. His partner makes for some incredible Dusi stats as well, making them to be arguably the best Dusi combination of all time.

Despite the accolades of these two South African stars, the 50 Miler was a race for everyone to enjoy and appreciate. Small batches, good water, well marshalled and safe areas ensured that all competitors had a good experience. There were broken boats, accidents and crashes, everything that goes along with tackling the waters of an African fast flowing river. The stories that evolve make the event special, the experience makes memories which last forever. Novices who went through famous-name rapids were thrilled at their achievement and old-timers where glad to have once again experienced the thrill of conquering said name rapid.

This is what starts the process of making the river legends who keep our sport thriving, along with the

McGregor & Birkett’s, and Housty’s who want to beat them, and every other paddler in the mix. And this is why the 50 Miler is such an important race on the calendar for Canoeing South Africa – it’s the stepping stone of being seen as a fully-fledged paddler in the true South African tradition.

GRAHAM DANIEL Approx. dist. Features on this Route

River Sectio

0 km

The Start

Duzi River

4 km

The Maze

Duzi River

5 km

Mission Rapid

Duzi River

7 km

Finger Neck Rapid

Duzi River

10 km

The Arrestor Bed

Duzi River

11 km

Cabbage Tree take-out

Optional po

16 km

Yellow Rock take-out

Optional po

19 km

Bell Rapid

Duzi River

21 km

Pearl Harbour

Duzi River

21 km

Saddles Portage take-out

Compulsory

23 km

Confluence

Duzi/Umgen

25 km

Washing Machine

Umgeni Rive

27 km

Cascades

Umgeni Rive

28 km

The Slide

Umgeni Rive

28 km

Ibis Point Portage

Compulsory

29 km

Gauging Weir

Umgeni Rive

30 km

Marianny Foley Causeway

Umgeni Rive

32 km

Ngumeni Portage take-out

Compulsory

36 km

Gum Tree Rapid

Umgeni Rive

36 km

Tombi Rapid

Umgeni Rive

37 km

Hippo Rocks

Umgeni Rive

39 km

Mfula Store Bridge

Umgeni Rive

40 km

Finish

Umgeni Rive

on

Dist. from previous 0 km 4 km 1 km 2 km 3 km

ortage

1 km

ortage

5.5km

y portage

3 km 2 km 0.3km

ni

2 km

er

1.5km

er

1 km

er

1 km

y portage

0 km

er

1 km

er

1 km

y portage

3.5 km

er

2.5 km

er

0.3 km

er

1.0 km

er

2.5 km

er

0.5 km

Your thoughts on 50 Miler WE OFTEN GET TO HEAR HOW THE RACE WENT FROM THE RACE LEADERS PERSPECTIVE SO THIS TIME WE THOUGHT THAT WE WOULD ASK SOME OF THE OTHER PADDLERS FOR THEIR STORIES. We caught up with Michelle Lloyd and Lee Furby and asked them about their race.

IMAGES supplied by athletes

How did your race go?

It went well, we had a lot of fun and apart from the mistake at the portage it was a great day. One of the marshals had put the take out in the wrong place initially so the top 20 or so boats started the saddles portage about 4km before anyone else.

It went well. We had two silly swims and broke our nose but it was 100 times better than last year, such a good vibe on and off the water.

Did you manage to shoot everything?

Yes, having Grant drive is a really BIG plus. He is such a strong paddler, we hardly touched a rock.

The river at that level makes it technical but we were able to shoot everything without issues so we had a great day.

Shot everything including hippo from the left as opposed to the chicken run on the right. Lance always loves to shoot everything. Water did run out a bit towards the end.

What do you think of the current format?

Having a one day event at the end of the school holidays is a great idea. It means that the out of town paddlers can get down – paddle the best part of the river and drive home on Sunday. It is a much better format than before. I met a number of Gautengers who had made the trip.

50 Miler was great, well supported and very well organised. Good to do 38km in a day, but with a low Drak it would have been nice to have a consecutive day to get used to being on the water for longer periods. Still I think Umzinyathi did extremely well with current water situation.

Any issues on the river?

Not for us – but our second yes, he got lost in Hillcrest so we were left sitting at the finish in 42˚C heat for an hour and a half before he arrived.

How can we swim at some inconspicuous rapid when we shot and made all the rapids on the Umko the week before?! Also enjoyed the friendly competition with friends Chris and Adri who were debating shooting hippo and then we passed them whilst they were being indecisive.

Does it help to do this section this close to Duzi or do you worry about your boat?

Yes definitely, Grant has only done one Dusi and that was last year in a single so it was good to do the route in a K2. We has a great day and learnt a thing or two

Yes definitely helped doing this stretch and doing part of it again this past weekend. Good to check lines etc.

Especially if your partner hasn’t seen fresh water since the last time he did Dusi and he didn’t see much of that then either... golden rule #1 always use a tripping boat before Dusi... Keep you Dusi boat nicely tucked away till Dusi.

Zanzibar Get bitten by the bug

IMAGES: Issa Rashis of Africa Media

Stanbic Zanzibar Adventure Paddle 2017 It was still dark when a group of adventurers gathered on the beach in front of the Dar es Salaam Yacht Club (DYC) for the annual ‘Stanbic Zanzibar Adventure Paddle’, a paddle from Dar es Salaam to Zanzibar across the open ocean.

Nervous laughter, a bit of bravado, but also some self-doubt filled the air as we glanced at the moonlit water. Had we put enough hours into the training? Were we ready for this?

Many didn’t feel very comfortable with the weather forecast. It was looking calm in the bay, but we knew that 1.5m swells and high winds were predicted for the day.

With nervous anticipation we tried to read the seas beyond the Dar es Salaam peninsula. The open ocean out there is where the battle with the wind, waves, fatigue, and our own minds would be won or lost.

With Stanbic’s support, the objective of this annual event is to grow the numbers and have it fit into the African Ocean Racing calendar. Part of the plan to expand, is to attract overseas paddlers from 2018. Package deals which would include activities and holiday options will be offered to the international paddlers and their families, and they will be able to rent EPIC surf skis for the event.

The distance to the Pugume sandbank, in Zanzibar, which is only exposed at low tide, is around 35km. Just before 4am in the

morning we pushed off, slowly making our way to Maxan, the lead catamaran that would show us the way. There were several other boats already bobbing on the water at this early hour, all essential for our safety and in providing any support required by the paddlers. Each boat was also carrying an additional pair of trained eyes, volunteers from the Tanzania Sea Rescue team, which added a great level of extra security.

Megan and Russell paddled a double surf ski, Fin was the only one sitting inside a sea kayak, and Glenn braved the crossing on a stand-up paddleboard (SUP) making him the first-ever SUP paddler to attempt to cross from mainland Tanzania to Zanzibar! The others, Fulvio, David, John, Ryan, Karen, Martin, Jon and Jude, were all paddling single surf skis.

After regrouping behind the safety boat it was time to head out. First into the calm waters of the protected bay, but soon we were heading into the open ocean with the waves being whipped up by an increasing wind. This made the first hours of darkness tough to paddle. It was hard to see waves approaching, although the nearly full moon helped a lot, and especially Glenn on his SUP was struggling to stay on top of his board.

At sunrise we had already made excellent progress, Karen unfortunately had to make the difficult decision at that point to pull out. She was on antibiotics and had been ill all week leading up to the event. The safety procedures were put to the test as both Karen and her surf ski were smoothly lifted off the water. Sunrise was also the time when the group split up into different pods according to speed.

Nearly all paddlers had several swims on the crossing as the swell reached 2m and the 20-knot winds were creating white caps on the larger waves. It was a battle for most to stay on, whilst trying to ride

some of the waves.

Glenn on the SUP was diving into the ocean most of all. The sea was so rough he would start in a seating position on his board, but paddling like this on a SUP is awkward. After a while he would kneel, kneepads protecting him from the worst of the impact of each wave. Then, as the knees would give in, he would stand up, bravely putting his paddle into the raging ocean until a rogue whitecap would yet again knock him off and send him diving into the angry waves.

But after 51 swims and six hours of paddling we welcomed him on the tiny sandbank with huge cheers.

He had made it, and possibly set a record for the first-ever SUP crossing! With him were Fulvio and David who had both just completed their second and third crossings.

The other two groups had already arrived in Zanzibar earlier. Megan and Russell in the double, together with Ryan and John had arrived at the sandbank first in a little over five hours. They were followed by Martin, Fin, Jon and Jude, finishing side-by-side in just under six hours.

We were all very happy to have solid ground underneath our feet again.

Drinks were shared on the sandbank with the entire crew, followed by a well-deserved lunch just before the sandbank began to disappear beneath the waves of the incoming tide. We had made it across to Zanzibar, just in time‌ After lunch it was time for the prize giving ceremony and a huge thank you to our title sponsor Stanbic Bank, and prizes from Kevin Stander.

We would not have been able to do this without them. Additionally, thanks to Stanbic Bank, the Dar es Salaam Yacht Club now has ten EPIC surf skis in the racks which will be offered for rent to international paddlers in 2018 and in time will become part of a training program.

If you would like to be part of this event next year, talk to us.

We would love to see more DYC members as well as international paddlers joining the Stanbic Zanzibar Adventure Paddle in 2018.

It really is very achievable with the right amount of training and we would love to see this event grow and help you reach that sandbank!

JUDE MULHUIJSEN

STANBIC ZANZIBAR ADVENTURE PADDLE

At the beginning of the year, paddlers in Dar es Salaam begin their serious training for the annual crossing to Zanzibar in June. While most visitors to Tanzania’s famous Spice Island take the ferry or arrive by plane, a few take up the challenge to get there under their own power. Many hours of preparation are needed to be able to safely cross the 35km of open ocean between Dar es Salaam and Zanzibar.

Paddlers need to be able to paddle at night, eat and drink whilst sitting in their vessels, be comfortable and fit enough to spend several hours kayaking, and be competent in a small boat with waves and wind on the open ocean. Training sessions are held weekly on Tuesday evenings at the Dar es Salaam Yacht Club, and on Saturday or Sunday longer outings are planned.

Popular weekend drills include paddles around the local islands Bongoyo and Mbudya in the bay in front of Dar es Salaam.

This year was the third time paddlers were kayaking across to Zanzibar. With the support of Stanbic Bank the event is slowly growing into a kayaking event that we would like to see on the international paddling calendar. Until then the crossing will remain an adventure, open for local and international paddlers who are looking for their next challenge.

To attract tourists to Tanzania who are interested in participating in a sporting event on their holiday, package deals with activities will be offered, including the main ‘Stanbic Zanzibar Adventure Paddle’. The package for 2018 will also include attractive holiday extensions for paddlers and their families and the option to rent surf skis for the event.

A school for local paddlers is planned to encourage the development of home-grown talent. This will allow more locals to participate in paddling events, including the crossing to Zanzibar.

More information can be found on the Dar es Salaam Yacht Club website - http://www.daryachtclub.co.tz/.

Closer to the event the website will be updated with the details for registration for the 2018 ‘Stanbic Zanzibar Adventure Paddle’.

Will you be there?

Giddy Up...

Get your Duzi entry in!

OF COURSE YOU ARE ENTERING THE FNB DUSI CANOE MARATHON. WHAT YOU HAVEN’T ENTERED YET? – TIME TO GET CRACKING! Normal entries close as we go to print but not to worry there is still lots of space for you and your mates in the starting pens. Nothing says I will not go quietly like entering a three day mammoth event.

Why you should enter: IT IS AN UNFORGETTABLE ADVENTURE. There are only a few times in the year when the paddling community really gather in their numbers and this is one of them.

This is going to be three days of thrills and the occasional spills. You will have the opportunity to shoot some of the most revered rapids on the canoeing calendar. You will climb mountains with a boat on your shoulder and most importantly you would have won the bragging rights for the next year. The rivers are dry so this is your opportunity to make full use of any releases we get.

By all accounts there is more water in the whole river system than there was at this time last year so it is not going to be ‘that bad’.

YOU WILL RUB SHOULDERS WITH THE PROS OF OUR SPORT. Thanks to ingenious reverse-order start for the

leaders on day three we pretty much guarantee that the leaders will come past you at some point in the day. You will be able to cheer your heroes and heroines on from the river. If you are lucky enough to finish before them; grab something to eat and drink and sit wait for them to come in. We predict it is going to be very close this year.

There are phenomenal men’s and ladies teams that are only just starting to show their cards! This is your chance to watch it from the banks.

IT IS GOOD FOR YOU! However you look at it; health, purpose, fun or adventure getting the blood pumping for three days is remarkably good for you. Think of it as your own therapy. You may not be as fit as you were in previous years and you may be paddling last year’s boat still but so what. For your own health you simply cannot miss the Duzi.

IT IS GOOD FOR THE PADDLING COMMUNITY. Now is not the time to shrink back and wait for a better year, now is the time to stand up and be counted for the sake of our sport. No one like to discuss it but sponsors are really interested in the mileage that they can get out of the event we need to be saying thank you to our sponsors and nothing does it better than entering the race.

WE ARE IN FOR A GOOD YEAR. The long term forecast according to AccuWeather is really very promising. None of the scorching 42˚C that we have come to expect.

Instead they are predicting a very manageable 26˚C.

AT THIS LEVEL EVERYTHING UNTIL LITTLE JOHN RAPID ON DAY THREE SHOULD BE PADDLABLE WITHOUT BEING DEATH DEFYING like it was in 2013 and other years. The organiser have gone all out to ensure you safety and enjoyment so we are confident that there will be marshals at every major rapid waiting to show you the best line. We will be doing the same.

This is our year to do the slide because there is bound to be someone at the top to show us the correct approach.

FORGOTTEN WHERE TO GO IN THE RAPIDS. NOT TO WORRY, IT IS ONE OF THE MOST WELL DOCUMENTED RIVER RACES YOU CAN IMAGINE. Start with the Dusi website itself http://dusi.co.za/ and click on The Rivers tab. It has got a blow by blow account of how you shoot

most of the rapids plus comments from the pros on their preferred lines down the rapid. Plus there is often great footage of someone shooting the rapid. If you want more advice head across to MyRiver website http:// www.myriver.co.za/ . These guys have put together a really fantastic site that is really designed to help save your boat and give you maximum enjoyment while on the river. No more shooting the rapid with no idea what to expect. Watch and learn and then come and join us in doing it! www.accuweather.com/en/za/pietermaritzburg/305606/ month/305606?monyr=2/01/2018 www.umgeni.co.za/media_centre/drd.asp

IMAGES: Jennie Dallas

JCC 2 D

Day Klip

The low water levels of recent weeks were shaken by a number of rainstorms throughout the Klip River feeder area raising the level to awesome fun and very enjoyable....while some rapids become easier, others become monsters which is enjoyable for the experienced paddlers preparing for the upcoming FNB Dusi in February.

The Annual Two Day Klip River Race hosted by JCC on the last weekend of January has always been a magnet for flooding, however in the middle/ lower section of the Klip, without the very tight technical corners and tree infested narrow channels of the Upper Klip the race was very enjoyable.

The full results will be posted by GCU on their, while this brief report identifies the top podium finishers and first age category winners.

Piers Cruickshanks with Zonele Nzuza (Dabs/Sow) were the overall first place winners of the TWO DAY event in a time of 4 hours 10 minutes with Phineas Zulu and Xolile Kondile (SOW/UMZ) finishing second in 4 hours 11 minutes.

The 3rd place finishers were Richard Fly and Peter Jacobs (CEN/KIN) in 4 hours 13 minutes, while the 4th place finishers were only 12 seconds behind them bringing in Sowetans Chazani Gumede and Simnikiwe Ntondini!

The first Veterans Kelvin Byres and Mark Garden (Dabs) in 4:13:46, in 5th place, and 6th were the Sub Veteran team of Alex Roberts and Shaun Maphanga (Dabs/FLO) in 4:15.

The winning Sub Master finishers were Troy Clark and Benjamin Cockram (Dabs) in 4:37 minutes, as 13th K2, while the first finishing K1 which was the 14th boat to cross the finish line in 4:43 was Tom Ngcobo (Sow).

Nicholas Warren and Sonja Bohnsack (Dabs) were the first Mixed Double finishers in 4:53 as 2nd Sub masters, and Uwe Schmidthaus (VLC) was the first Master Finisher, K1 4th overall, in a time of 5 hours 12 minutes followed by the first Under 23 K1 finisher, Peter Chissano (JCC) in 5:14 as 5th K1.

The Sub Grand Master first finisher was Carel van Biljon (Dabs) in 5:48, 9th K1, and Gavin Taylor (Dabs) finished as the first Grand Master, 13th K1, in 6:08.

There was good water, good racing and good weather all in all and the opportunity to train hard for the upcoming FNB Dusi was appreciated.

JENNIE DALLAS

2 HARBOUR [Simons Town I Kalk Bay]

RS

On the 12th November 2017 the Fish Hoek Beach Sports Club was host to the Cape Town Summer series. As this race involved going in and out of Kalk Bay Harbour permission needed to be given by the Harbour Master. Permission was gladly given and so the planning began.

The route required either a very light southerly or northerly wind to make it possible. Fortunately the weather was perfect for the running of the inaugural 2 Harbours race. On the day the paddlers were treated to more of a easterly making the

stretch from Kalk Bay to Simon Town almost downwind in nature. The experienced paddlers knew to leave something in the tank because the better the downwind conditions got the more effort it would take to get home from Simons Town. The less experienced paddlers simply revelled in the apparent ease of the conditions and then found it quite hard work paddling the last 6km in to the wind. Luckily for them there was the rescue duck to keep a watchful eye on them all the way home.

2 Harbours 2017 Long Course Results Pos. Name

Time

Mens Results 1

Nicholas Notten

1:13:59 1st Male

2

Jakub Adam

1:14:04 2nd Male

3

Kyle Friedenstein

1:14:15 3rd Male

Ladies Results 11

Bianca Beavitt

1:22:23 1st Lady

12

Melanie Van Niekerk

1:22:23 2nd Lady

30

Alex Adie

1:32:28 3rd Lady

Doubles 17

Pete Cole / Wendren Stetzer

1:23:21 1st Double

19

David Hudson / Andrew Ross

1:24:38 2nd Double

21

David Murrray Smith / Darrel Leach

1:24:54 3rd Double

Juniors 42

Abigail Liesegang

1:43:35 1st Junior

2 Harbours 2017 Short Course Results Pos.

1 2 3 6

Name

Ryno Lamont Dwight Morkel Tim de Sousa Youngest Awesome Paddler Jared Cole

Time

0:33:06 0:35:42 0:36:23 0:43:31

What’s in a Warm-up?

LET’S TALK ABOUT YOUR WARM UP BEFORE PADDLING… OH WAIT, WE DON’T WARM UP DO WE? Let’s face it, other than maybe a handful of brave paddlers willing to jump on early for a few minutes of paddling before the start of the race, it’s hard to find anyone actively warming up on the bank before a training session let alone a race.

The 18-year-olds amongst us can

almost get away with not warming up but for those of us getting a bit older (and tighter and less flexible and more diesel engine trained), and for those who take themselves seriously when it comes to racing, we should be warming up!

The warm-up is not designed to wear you out. It will activate your muscles by generating blood flow to them; waking up firing patterns; and flushing fluid through your joints to ‘oil them up’ before you race off through the backline. How many times during an interval session do you find yourself thinking that the first two intervals you felt lethargic

and you were hurting but then the third and fourth intervals are generally way better? That’s because your body is warming up. So why do we all start the race ‘cold’?

Ideally your warm-up will include some gentle cardio in the form of low heart rate exercise. Before a race or training session this could include a short jog down the beach. Make the time for this. Add 6-10 minutes of jogging into your race prep time.

Thereafter it’s time for to pull out the yoga mat and some stretch bands for a dynamic stretching session of mobility and some core muscle groups activation…

Here’s how we do it:

6. Side plank glute activation

Before you even begin, let’s do a quick test: stand with your feet together and hinge from your hips bending over to try touch the floor. Take note of where you can reach to.

In the steps below, you will be guided though a few drills which I believe are beneficial as a warm-up.

7. Prone scapular drills 8. Kneeling hip flexor / hamstring mobility

Whether I do these behind closed doors at home, in the hotel room or right there on the beach, believe me, they happen: 1. Dynamic stretches: a. Hamstring b. Lateral muscles (glutes, lower back, ITB) c. Medial muscles (adductors, groin) d. Calf e. Resisted leg drive (combo drill) 2. Modified downward dog flow: a. Downward facing dog

IMAGE: BELLANYC.COM

9. Dynamic stretches: a. Chest (pectoral) b. Upper back (latts) 10. Now for the re-test: stand with your feet together and hinge from your hips bending over to try touch the floor. Take note of where you can reach to… have you gone further and with more ease?

IMAGE: YOGAMERGE.COM

b. Upward facing dog (triangle) c. Hip flexor mobility (combo drill) 3. Bridging with resisted open/close knee drills

Because we are all individual there are of course many ways to warm-up and we need to work out what works for each of us but I highly recommend a combination of the above drills. What have you got to lose? Try these drills out for a few sessions and see how your body reacts to it. As is the case with trying anything for the first time: go slow, be gentle with your body and pay attention to correct techniques.

I am available via email or a phone call if you would like advice about this warm-up or any other questions… feel free to contact me and follow my Instagram page: @posture_power_paddle for more photos, videos and information.

4. Single leg bridging 5. Dead bug

See you out there!

HAYLEY NIXON

HAYLEY NIXON

IMAGE: POPSUGAR.COM

2017 ICF Canoe Ocean Racing World Champion 2016 World Surfski Series Champion Biokineticist Special interest in Strength & Conditioning Instagram: @hayleszn, @posture_ power_paddle (#Fit2Paddle) Twitter: @hayleszn Email: hayleszn@gmail.com

IMAGE: GRAHAM DANIEL

SAFETY

DOWN ON THE SOUTHERN TIP OF AFRICA WE LOVE SUMMER. The reason we love

summer is that the South Easterly winds blow. And when it blows it really can knock your socks off, just think of last years Argus Cycle Race!

While this fact has a lot of people moaning and wishing for winter, the paddlers down here revel in it because it means that they gather in

droves to do the infamous ‘Millers run’ – a 12km stretch of open ocean between the Millers point slipway (near Simons Town) and Fish Hoek Beach on the False Bay side and Milnerton to Melkbos on the Atlantic side. In fact we love it so much there is an ongoing competition to see who can do the most, who can paddle it fastest, produce the most insane video etc…

While most of the Millers go off without any incidents we always have a few issues with paddlers and boats over the summer period. So we thought that we would pick a few points about safety just to help you on your way. Bear in mind that there is no perfect system or method but we figure that the more aspects you have stacked in your favour the better.

1 PICK THE RIGHT BOAT FOR YOUR ABILITY

You are surprised that we did not start with the traditional PFD? But yes, the first question should be can I cope with my boat in these conditions. By that we mean can you get back on to it should you fall off. There are more than 20 boats on the market - choose one that you can get back in to. I used to own a super-fast downwind boat which was fantastic until you fell out of it. Needless to say it is not part of my flotilla any more. Practice getting back in to your ski again and again.

2 PICK YOU PFD (PERSONAL

FLOTATION DEVICE) CAREFULLY

An international visitor to our club on arrival bought the same PFD as 90% of us wear. But within 2 weeks he was wearing another brand. When asked why the change he answered ‘ I cannot swim in the first one’ darn good point! The one brand we tried slides up and covers your face when you are in the water. Since the first part of helping yourself is being able to swim back to your ski, if your PFD inhibits you in any way it is time to find another one. Find one with accessible pockets for the other safety stuff.

3 PADDLE LEASH

I attach mine to my boat in the hope that if I lose my boat at least the paddle getting dragged in the water should slow it down until I can reach it again. Others attach it to their waist. Whatever your preference just make sure that you have one.

4 HIGH VISIBILITY STUFF

Now days one can purchase pre-cut high visibility decals for your ski that are really easy to apply so that you can be spotted from the air. But if you want to be spotted by your mates on a downwind then make sure that your clothing and paddles are highly visible.

5 A CALF LEASH

This is the thicker leash that is attached to your ski and you. An absolute must in strong winds. We sometimes hear of ski’s being washed up miles away from where the paddler fell off.

6 SAFETRX

SafeTrx is the NSRI location / rescue app. It is easy to download from your app store and it is free. Just make sure that you switch it on in an area with good signal and switch it off as soon as your get off the water otherwise someone from the NSRI will be phoning you. Two friends have used it and it worked. They are currently experimenting with live tracking for people outside of NSRI so we are anxiously awaiting the results of that. Lastly make sure that your phone goes in to a good quality waterproof pouch so that you can still use the keypad through the pouch.

7 PUT YOUR NAME/ CSA NUMBER ON YOUR SKI AND PADDLE

This can range from simply putting your CSA number on all your craft to getting one of those clever companies to print you a sticker with your name and ICE contact details on it. To the best of my knowledge NSRI has found three skis washed up on the beach this summer and then started a massive manhunt for the missing paddler just because there was no way of tracking the owner. This is a huge waste of time and resources. Please let’s look after them until one of us really needs them.

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/

IMAGES: Issa Rashis of Africa Media

Stanbic Zanzibar Adventure Paddle 2017

IMAGES: Romy Parker; Cape Town Sports Photography;TPM

Cape Point Challenge December 2017

Western Cape Canoe Union Junior Sprints, January 2018

Let’s Race Events to keep you busy

IMAGE Romy Parker

Let’s Race EASTERN CAPE DATE

RACE

DETAILS

CONTACT

FEBRUARY FRI 2

Border Summer Series

secretary@bordercanoeclub. co.za

SAT 3

Brak Challenge

secretary@bordercanoeclub. co.za

FRI 16

Border Summer Series

secretary@bordercanoeclub. co.za

FRI 23

Border Summer Series

secretary@bordercanoeclub. co.za

MARCH FRI 2

Border Summer Series

secretary@bordercanoeclub. co.za

FRI 9

Border Summer Series

secretary@bordercanoeclub. co.za

SAT 24

Little Fish

secretary@bordercanoeclub. co.za

FRI 31

King of the Kromme

secretary@bordercanoeclub. co.za

APRIL SAT 1

Buco Race

SAT 14

Clipperty Challenge

MAY SUN 6 SAT 12 SAT 19

Spar Swartkop Challenge Goukamma Race Chalumna Challenge

Plet CC

secretary@bordercanoeclub. co.za secretary@bordercanoeclub. co.za

Knysna CC East London

secretary@bordercanoeclub. co.za

GAUTENG DATE FEBRUARY SAT 3 SUN 4 TUE 6 SUN 18 SUN 25

RACE LCC Elands Memorial DABS Dambusters VLC Nite Race Schools League Race 3 K2 Marathon

DETAILS Elands River Dabulamanzi Canoe Club Vicoria Lake, Germiston ERK JCC

CONTACT Craig Lewis 0736656881 Jason Brown 0761120402 Wayne Saunders 0824148627 Tracey Watkins 0825640163 Pete Roussouw 0828958129

DATE MARCH SAT 3 SUN 4 SAT 17 - SUN 18 SAT 24 SUN 25 APRIL SUN 15 SAT21 SUN 22 SUN 29 MAY SAT 5

RACE

DETAILS

DABS High Alititude Ski Race Schools League Race 4 GCU Sprints Schools League Race 5 Marathon K1 Marathon K2

DABS JCC VLC

Florida and Schools League Race 6 Marathon K1 Marathon K2 Sprints at Roodeplaat 1

FLC

Tracey Watkins 0825640163

JCC JCC

JCC JCC

SUN 6

BASF Watuni Klip Novice Race Scout Hall to Caravan Park, 16km Sprints at Roodeplaat 2

SUN 13 SUN 20

Likkevaan Vaal VLC Flat

JUNE SAT 2 - SUN 3 SUN 10 SAT 30 - SUN 1 JUL

GCU Marathon Champs and Schools League Race 7 Sprints 3 JCC Vaal Marathon

CONTACT

ERK Roodeplaat

KWA-ZULU NATAL DATE FEBRUARY SAT 3

RACE

DETAILS

CONTACT

Nagle Dam, 200m

Rob Marriott

FRI 2

Capitol Caterers / Popes Canoe School Sprints FNB Thule Surfski Series 4

Marine LSC, 5.30pm, 4 or 8km

Barry Lewin

SUN 4 FRI 9

Inanda Dam to Durban FNB Gara Surfski Series 5

Inanda Dam, 35km Marine LSC, 5.30pm, 4 or 8km

Terry Drummond 083326 2333 Barry Lewin

SAT 10

Capitol Caterers / Popes Canoe Schools Bushmans Race FNB Dusi Open Day FNB Lettie Surfski Series 6

Wagendrift to Lambert Park, Estcourt

Rob Marriott

FNB Dusi Expo and Registration FNB Dusi Canoe Marathon FNB Borland Surfski Series Presented by Marriott 7

NCC

Mary Millward 033 342 1528

Campsdrift to Blue Lagoon Marine LSC, 5.30pm, 4 or 8km

Mary Millward 033 342 1528 Barry Lewin

SUN 11 TUE 13 WED 14 THU 15 - SAT 17 FRI 23

rijcmarriott@gmail.com barry@marineseries.co.za

barry@marineseries.co.za rijcmarriott@gmail.com

Mary Millward 033 342 1528 Barry Lewin barry@marineseries.co.za

barry@marineseries.co.za

DATE

RACE

SAT 24 - SUN 25 Capitol Caterers / Popes Canoe School K1 River Champs SUN 25 Nyala Pans to St Elmos

DETAILS

CONTACT

16km

Rob Marriott

Nyala Pans, Umkomaas, 25km

Lana Allen 082 743 5838

rijcmarriott@gmail.com

MARCH FRI 2 FRI 2

Non-Stop Dusi FNB Vaaka Surfski Series 8

Campsdrift to Blue Lagoon Marine LSC, 5.30pm, 4 or 8km

Mary Millward 033 342 1528 Barry Lewin

FRI 9

FNB HiQ Surfski Series 9

Marine LSC, 5.30pm, 4 or 8km

Barry Lewin

12km

Rob Marriott

32km

Ernie Alder 072 437 7397

Marine LSC, 5.30pm, 4 or 8km

Barry Lewin

77km Shongweni Dam Middlesdrift, 75km Knysna

Ernie Alder 072 437 7397

SAT 10

Capitol Caterers / Popes Canoe Schools Mooi River Race SUN 11 Hella-Hella to Josephines Bridge FRI 16 Varsity College Surfski Series 9 and Varisty College School Champs SAT 17 - SUN 18 Umkomaas Marathon SAT 24 - SUN 25 KZN Sprint Champs SAT 24 -SUN 25 Tugela Marathon FRI 30 - SAT 31 SA Canoe Polo Championships April APRIL SUN 1 MON 2 - WED 4

SA Canoe Polo Championships Knysna SA Sprints - WC and CUP Shongweni Dam Selection NB - moved to

Roodeplaat!

FRI 6 - SUN 8

SA Schools Sprints

SUN 29

Surfski Series 1

MAY SUN 6 SAT 12 - SUN 13 SUN 13 SAT 19 -SUN 20 SUN 20 SUN 27 JUNE SUN 10 SUN 17 SUN 24 SAT 30 or SUN 1 JUL

Shongweni Dam, 500m, LD, 200m, 100m Marine 1 Singles

Surfski Series 2 Durban International Canoe Polo Festival Surfski Series 3 KZN Marathon Champs Surfski Series 4 Surfski Series 5

Marine 2 Doubles Shongweni Dam

Surfski Series 6 Surfski Series 7 Surfski Series 8 Surfski Series 9

Pirates - Umhlanga- Pirates 5 Beaches Scottburgh to Brighton Durban Downwind

Marine 3 - Surf Challenge Durban Surf - Dairy Stella - King of the Bay

barry@marineseries.co.za barry@marineseries.co.za rijcmarriott@gmail.com

barry@marineseries.co.za

Rod Bowes 0827896422

WESTERN CAPE DATE

RACE

DETAILS

CONTACT

FEBRUARY SAT 3

West Coast Challenge

Verlddrift, 10am

SAT10 SUN 11 SAT 17 SAT 24

Junior Sprint Series 2 Surfski Doubles Series Team Pursuit Junior Sprint Series 3

secretary@peninsula-canoe.org.za Tygervalley cc, 8am Lagoon Beach, Milnerton, 2pm TYG, 1pm secretary@peninsula-canoe.org.za Cemtury City CC,8am

MARCH SAT 3

Nekkies to Alfies

10am, 16km

Surfski WP Doubles Championships SAT 10 Team Pursuit MON 12 - FRI 16 Paddling Activity Week SAT 17 - SUN 18 Stanford River Festival WED 21 WCCU Jnr / SNR Sprints

TYG CTY Stanford Peninsula Canoe Club

APRIL SAT 14 SAT 14 SAT 21 FRI 27 FRI 27 -SAT 28

Mini Marathon Event There and Back Challenge Paarl Le BAC Novice Race Freedom Challenge Orange Descent

PRL or PEN Fish Hoek Beach Sports Club Paarl, 9am, 12km Oceana Power Boat Club Uppinton

MAY SAT 5

Marina Da Gama K1

Peninsula Canoe Club, 9am, 16km Paarl,9am, 16km

info@westcoastcanoeclub.co.za

SUN 4

SAT 12 WED 16 SAT 19 SUN 20 SAT 26

Paarl to Lady Loch Novice K1 Race 10KM K1 WCCU Marathon Champs k1 WCCU Marathon Champs k2 Skooljie k1

Milnerton Peninsula CC Peninsula CC Paarl, 9am, 23km

JUNE SAT 2 Gouda - Bridgetown K1 SAT 9 Herman - Gouda K1 Berg River SAT 23 - SUN 24 Pink Lady Drakenstein Berg River Marathon - MCCU K1 Champs SAT 30 Elanie - Misverstand Soetdraai

stanfordcanoeclub@gmail.com secretary@peninsula-canoe.org.za

thepaddlemag@gmail.com

info@stroke2max.com secretary@peninsula-canoe.org.za

enquiries@pinkladyrace.co.za

secretary@peninsula-canoe.org.za secretary@peninsula-canoe.org.za

INTERNATIONAL DATE FEBRUARY 3 FEBRUARY 9 - 11

RACE

Regata Internatinal Surfski, Lanzerote Oceania Canoe Sprint Championships, Penrith, Australia FEBRUARY 24 - 25 2° Rome International Canoe Polo Tournament, Rome, Italy FEBRUARY 24 - 25 Eurolympiques Race 1, Lannon, France FEBRUARY 27 Eurolympiques Race 2, Les Roches Du Diable, France MARCH 10 - 11 Canoe Race Fulda- CLASSIC + SPRINT, Fulda, Germany MARCH 10 - 11 VIII Campeonato Iberico De Kayak Polo, Madrid, Spain MARCH 18 Canoe Race Monschau - Classic, Monschau APRIL 21 Amsterdam Waterland Marathon APRIL 12 - 15 Youth Olympic Games Canoeing World Qualification Event, Barcelona, Spain MAY 18 - 20 ICF Canoe Sprint World Cup 1, Szeged, Hungary MAY 25 - 27 ICF Canoe Sprint World Cup 2, Duisburg, Portugal JUN 25 - 30 Mauritius Ocean Classic World Series, Mauritius

DETAILS www.canoeicf.com www.canoe.org.au segreteriapresidente@canottierieur.it www.canoeicf.com www.canoeicf.com www.canoeicf.com www.canoeicf.com www.canoeicf.com info@amsterdamcanoemarathon.com www.canoeicf.com www.canoeicf.com www.canoeicf.com dhenry.jphboathouse@intnet.mu

VIEW FROM THE BACK OF THE BOAT When I started paddling my wife and I were young and carefree and we lived in Durban where the sun always shines and the water is warm.

Move on a few years and we have joined the masses in migrating down to the Western Cape where the river season is in the middle of winter, the water is freezing and it is dark when you wake up and dark for the first 100km or so on your way to a race.

Oh, and we now had a 2 year old son. So it was with a little trepidation that I approached my wife and asked her to be my second for a river race on the Berg River. ‘What! she said are you mad?’ After several back rubs and the promise of mowing the lawn she finally agreed on one condition. The condition was that she wanted to know exactly where the start was, where we would finish and what she could do with our son while she waited for me. Well that sounded simple enough – even for me.

After numerous phone calls I tracked down the race organiser. I explained to him that I did not know where to go to get to the start or the finish.

He laughed and said “what do you mean; you don’t know where**

farm is?” after explaining three times that I was new to the Western Cape he finally understood and gave me directions. The directions he said were quite straight forward; head up the N7 to Malmesburg, turn right to head towards Riebeeks Kasteel, head north to Riebeek West. Easy so far!

Go through the town of Riebeeks West for about 10/ 15km until you see a red barn on the right; turn right there and meet us at the bridge.

Well, bundling a two year old in to the car at 6am in the dark is not as easy as I first imagined, so we left a little later than planned. Added to that there were roadworks at Malmesburg meant that this 1:45 hour trip was closer to 2:30 hours!

Well my nerves were a little frayed as I hate being late for a race. But the last stretch should be easy as now at least the sun is coming up and we should clearly see the red barn and then we were there! First it was 5km then 10km and very soon 15km – are you sure that you got the directions right my wife asked.

Yes, I said it must be right around the corner. 15km very soon became 25km and I just knew that I was in trouble. If I had got the start this wrong – what about the finish?

Would my wife ever find it? As I got out the car and started searching the distant horizon for this red barn I was beginning to sweat in the 7˚C breeze. This was going to be my first race of the season. I tried to call the race organiser one more time – no answer.

Needless to say we did not ever find the red barn and we drove all the way up to Moorreesburg (ever heard of it? – nor had we until then!). It was past 10am when we finally had to admit defeat. We drove through to Langebaan and had a lovely family brunch before heading home.

And yes I did mow the lawn that afternoon! But after that I started hooking up with other paddlers that were going that way and it made my life (and my wifes) much easier!

IMAGE Romy Parker