Hi ,

Very little good news for our wonderful sport this week.

Firstly - the tragic death of Giel Van Deventer, or "Oom Giel" (as most of us remember him by) during a race on the Breede river.

Oom Giel had been paddling in a K2 with Lood Rabie. They had taken a "sneak" and got caught in a tree block. Lood managed to extricate himself, but Giel and the boat disappeared under the water.

Due to the dangerously high water level, rescue attempts had to be postponed and Giel's body was only recovered two days later.

Oom Giel has been a part of the South African paddling landscape for decades, especially in the Western Cape.

Last year he became the first paddler to complete 50 Berg River marathons. At age 72, he added one more to that statistic this year, by completing his 51st.

I always berated him for his obsession with the Berg and told him, on a number of occasions (as I have told everyone), that he could not call himself a proper paddler until he had completed an Umko.

This irked him so much that, in March this year, he loaded his K3 onto his roof and drove up from the Cape, to partner Eric Hildebrandt and I, to complete his first ever Umko, and to become a proper paddler at last. I don't have all of the statistics, but doubt whether anyone older than 72 has paddled their first Umko.

Giel would have known, as he was besotted with statistics. He had stats for almost every race in the country, even grouping some together and applying arbitrary titles to them.

Earlier this month he sent me an updated analysis of the Dusi (View it HERE), which he had spent six months compiling.

The world is going to be a far poorer place after his passing. His perpetual smile, gentle demeanour and passion for rivers will be sorely missed. A true gentleman.
Farewell Oom.

Our hearts go out to his family, his friends, and his K2 partner.

Secondly -  Wayne Volek, a Dusi gold medallist, was attacked by a number of taxi drivers. He is currently lying in an induced coma in hospital. Our thoughts go out to his family.

Thirdly - CSA conducted a survey a number of years ago in an attempt to ascertain what the prime cause was, of the diminishing numbers in our river races. The overwhelming response was the quality of the water.

There are very few of our waterways that have escaped the results of years of inept municipal and government management. This week, the Umgeni river in Durban plunged to new depths of pollution. The results of independent tests done by Talbot laboratories is attached HERE.

With a reading of over 400 parts per 100mm of ecoli being "critical", the measure at the Riverside (Blue Lagoon" was an unimaginable 23 million. Many of Durban's beaches have been closed, and dead fish line the banks for kilometres.

Fourthly - Due to an outbreak of foot and mouth disease in the area, the organisers of the Clean Water Challenge Liebenbergsvlei have taken the decision to postpone the race. The race is the premier race on the Gauteng calendar, and was due to be held on the 17 - 18 of next month.

Farmers in the area are concerned that the volume of traffic, caused by the race, through the affected area would pose a potential threat to the spread of the disease. An alternative date is being discussed.

Onto some news regarding our international tours.

Our junior and U23 team leaves for the World Sprint championships in Szeged, Hungary tomorrow. They will compete towards the end of next week. I will send a link to the live streaming as soon as I get it.

Our U21 men's canoe polo team has returned from the world championships in France where they missed automatic qualification for 2024 by just one position. Playing against countries with far greater depth, and with a number of logistical challenges that manifested themselves, our guys never lost their enthusiasm, and will bring back much in the way of experience for next time.

That is all for this week.

Out of respect for Oom Giel, there will be no joke this week (two next week)

Your SG
Copper
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