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Hi ,
The green mamba came back to bite this week.
I cursed the potato blight and my Irish ancestors decision not to emigrate a generation or so later, leaving me with a shot at another passport.
As a first time parent of a paddler who has made a national team, the harsh realities of "self-funded" have come home to roost.
Adding insult to the injury of no funding for our national teams is the frustration of having to bond your house just get a visa, to leave in the first place, and the pleasure of 2 days in a Cape Town winter.
I am buying the boy some ballet shoes when we get back.
There has been a lot of flapping of arms around the country over the past week or so.
A hugely successful Berg River marathon witnessed some superb racing, with the predictable cream rising to the top. Another Hank/Andy showdown with Hank winning 3 of the 4 stages, but Andy winning the race, due to a successful risk on the 2nd day and some fantastic paddling.
Three days of uncharacteristically superb weather followed by a small reminder of how miserable it can be on day 4.
By most accounts it was a one to be remembered.
Giel Van Deventer eventually managing to complete his 50th. His sublime effort tempered by the self-confessed knowledge that he cannot really call himself a canoeist until he has completed at least 1 Umko. I might be forced to throw him into the back seat one of these years, just to celebrate his phenomenal achievement.
Most mortals curl up into a ball and go into hibernation for a couple of weeks after the Berg.
Hank jetted back to KZN and lined up at the start of the Dolphin Coast challenge on Saturday morning. Winning it by a significant margin from the Messerschmidt pilot who handed out a few lessons in fortitude and downwind paddling to many who were less than half his age. Michelle Burn did the same in the women's race, annoying a number of the opposite sex who fancy themselves as legendary mariners. Another classic performance on the weekend was that of Matt Coetser who won the junior category, finishing 4th overall.
The next major event on the calendar will be the Breede.
After numerous years of very little water, this year looks like it is going to be a classic.
Hopefully the slight relaxation of Covid restrictions will allow a larger contingent from out of town to attend.
Our sport is characterised, in most part, by a huge sense of comraderie. This sense of concern for others manifested itself during the Berg when Siseko Ntondini experienced a seizure and fell out of his canoe and lay unconscious, face down in the water. One of the first paddlers to reach Siseko was Luke Swinney who, despite being in a very competitive position in the race overall, and in his age group, sacrificed his race to help pull his paddling mate out of the water, saving his life. A number of other selfless individuals, including the WCCU chairman, Rob Hart, then ensured that they got Siseko back to safety.
Each year, the President of CSA allocates an award to an individual, club, or race committee for services to the sport that are above and beyond the call of duty.
We are pleased to announce that this year, the award will be given to Luke for his bravery and self-sacrifice.
An appropriate occasion will be chosen to present the award to him.
That is all for this week, except for the week's joke.
Cheers
Copper 1111
An old Italian lived alone in New Jersey .
He wanted to plant his annual tomato garden, but it was very difficult work, as the ground was hard.
His only son, Vincent, who used to help him, was in prison.
The old man wrote a letter to his son and described his predicament:
Dear Vincent,
I am feeling pretty sad, because it looks like I won't be able to plant my tomato garden this year. I'm just getting too old to be digging up a garden plot. I know if you were here my troubles would be over.. I know you would be happy to dig the plot for me, like in the old days.
Love, Papa
A few days later he received a letter from his son.
Dear Pop,
Don't dig up that garden. That's where the bodies are buried.
Love, Vinnie
At 4 a.m. the next morning, FBI agents and local police arrived and dug up the entire area without finding any bodies.
They apologized to the old man and left.
That same day the old man received another letter from his son.
Dear Pop,
Go ahead and plant the tomatoes now. That's the best I could do under the circumstances.
Love you, Vinnie |
