Hi ,

Cape Town turned on its charm for a festival of surfski racing over the past weekend, with the locals taking full advantage and dominating proceedings.

Two national championships within the space of three days, stacked fields of talent, and some sublime weather, made a recipe for great competition and enjoyment for almost everyone.

The PSA SS1 (single ski) championships were held on Friday in almost dam-like conditions. 

Bunch riding was the order of the day, for most, until just after the turn when a few bumps appeared which allowed the field to spread out. 

No “Millers Run” records were broken on the way home and any slight advantage from the ocean had to be earned.

The top four places in the men’s race were filled with world champions, with 2021 World Ocean Racing Champion, Nic Notten hanging onto an 18 second advantage over fellow Capetonian, and 2022 World Champion, Kenny Rice. World Mixed Doubles Champion Uli Hart managed to keep the old man of the sea, multiple Marathon World Champion Hank McGregor, at bay to secure the final spot on the podium, ensuring an all PCC medal haul.

Performance of the day must go to Jared Shrimpton: He was only a minute and 20 seconds off the overall podium, and enjoyed a dominant victory in the junior category. The second junior, Cody Stallard, impressed with a top 10 overall result as well, with reigning Junior World Champion, Sam Mocke, rounding off the junior podium. These junior results augur well for the world championships in Durban later in the year.

Another reigning world champion, Kira Bester, made short work of her opposition, romping home to an almost three-minute lead in the women’s race. Jade Wilson managing to hold a two-minute gap in front of fellow U23 Georgia Singe, with Nix Birkett a mere two seconds off the overall podium. 

The event doubled as the selection race for the world championships.

The official SA team (see below) consists of 5 seniors, two U23’s, and two juniors in both the men’s and women’s categories. There are a couple of exciting new caps in the lineup.

Fortunately, the world championships is an open event, so all of those who missed selection can still compete, with an equal chance of walking away with a world championship medal.

SA OCEAN RACING TEAM 2025

Senior Men 
Nicky Notten (WCCU)
Kenny Rice (WCCU)
Uli Hart (WCCU)
Hank McGregor (KNCU)
Mark Keeling (WCCU)

U23 Men 
Matt Coetzer (WCCU)
Reef Funston (WCCU)

U18 Men 
Jared Shrimpton (WCCU)
Cody Stallard (WCCU)

Senior Women 
Kira Bester (WCCU)
Nicky Birkett (ECCU)
Saskia Hockly (KNCU)
Melanie v Niekerk (WCCU)
Holly Smith (WCCU)

U23 Women 
Jade Wilson (ECCU)
Georgia Singe (WCCU)

Junior Women
Ellen Strydom (WCCU)
Alayah Krogscheepers (WCCU)

Two days after the SS1 championships, the paddlers were given a second opportunity to get their hands on a national medal from a trip around the iconic Robben Island.

The Prescient Freedom Paddle does not have the luxury of a window period, as it is held on Freedom Day each year. A landmark event on the SA surfski calendar, it was given added status this year when it was granted the hosting rights to the PSA SS2 championships.

Mother nature smiled, once again, on the participants, who were blessed with completely calm conditions and given an opportunity to soak up their illustrious surroundings.

Unlike the SS1 results, the steps of the men’s podium were not completely cluttered with Capetonians. Ironically, a silver and a bronze medal went to paddlers who do not even come from the coast. The Transvaal Navy took advantage of the Emmarentia dam-like conditions and executed a successful, daring raid on the silverware.

Wayne Jacobs, partnered by KZN / Western Cape hybrid, Matt Coetzer, had a silver medal hung around his neck, while Riccardo Talevi powered his WC / GCU hybrid sprint ace partner, Shaun Rubenstein, to a well-earned bronze. 

A surprise of note was the fourth position overall, which went to the mixed double pairing of Uli Hart and Georgia Singe, who finished half a minute ahead of last year’s champions, Hank McGregor and an “out of sorts” Josh Fenn.

The junior gold went to Keegan Vogt and Ryley Smith.

Kira added a further gold to her collection when she crossed the line in first position, accompanied by her WC partner, Melanie Van Niekerk, in the open women’s category.

Making sure that the KZN paddlers did not come home completely empty handed, Pippa McGregor and Saskia Hockly secured silver, while Jenna Nisbet partnered Nix Birkett to a bronze.

Several of the top paddlers made the decision to race in the mixed doubles category, turning it into one of the most hotly contested categories. Notwithstanding the phenomenal fourth place by Uli and Georgia, Jared and Christy Shrimpton finished ninth overall, with Jade Wilson and Reef Funston arriving less than a minute later in 11th. Methinks this is a serious statement of intent for the world championships.

Looking back a couple of weeks, another hectically competitive selection race took place at the Dudley Pringle dam outside of Durban. 

The stakes were a lot higher as the reward was a fully funded trip to China, to represent South Africa in the marathon discipline at the World Games.

It was made even more intense by the fact that only one male and one female were to be selected.

Competitors raced over a short course, as well as a long course, the next day.

Hamish Lovemore secured his ticket by winning both races, while Saskia Hockly was placed under slightly more pressure by finishing tie with Jenna Nisbet in the short course, and having to ensure victory in the long course, which she did. Both will be flying to China to take part in the (non Olympic) Olympics, which will be held in Chengdu in the second week in August.

Whilst I am typing this newsletter, we have four sprint athletes representing the country at the “Presidents Cup” in Azerbaijan.

Sbulelo Ngobese (KNCU), Kyle Armdorf and Nhlamulo Mahwayi (GCU), and Sakhe Ngobese (WCCU) are on a lightning tour with all expenses (besides travel) being covered by the organisers.

They have produced some fantastic results with Kyle having won two gold medals (K1 200m and 500m), and Sbulelo making an A final. The 4 man team is being managed by Nkosi Mzolo.  

Besides our national river championships, we only have two national championships left to go.

The next one will be the PSA Slalom Championships, which will be held in Dihlabeng on the 10th of May.

This will be followed by the PSA Marathon Championships, which have had the venue confirmed as Upington, on the 13-15 June.

We have a number of athletes preparing themselves for international competitions, and weekly domestic competitions across several disciplines, however, much of the focus over the next few weeks will tilt towards marathon paddling, with provincial championships taking place from the end of this month, culminating in the national championships, where our national team will be selected.

Those of us without green and gold aspirations can fix our eyes on a definite international event, which is well within our grasp: The World Ocean Racing Championships, taking place in Durban in October. The website is up and running at the dedicated website  worldchamps.paddlesportsa.co.za or via PSA website paddlesportsa.co.za, the first bulletin has been sent out, and entries are now open. 

Until next time ... 

Your SG
Copper

And the joke ...

Two guys from Brakpan are looking through a Woolworth’s catalogue and admiring the models.

One says to the other, “Have you seen the beautiful girls in this catalogue?”

The second one replies, “Yes, they are very beautiful....and look at the price!”

The first one says, with wide eyes, “Wow, they aren't very expensive at all. At that price, I'm going to buy one.”

“Great idea,” said the second. “Order one, and if she's as beautiful as she is in the catalogue, I will get one too.”

Three weeks later, the one Brakpanian asks his friend: “Did you ever receive the girl you ordered from the catalogue?”

The second replies: “No, but it shouldn't be long now. I got her clothes yesterday!”