Hi ,

The marathon season is well and truly upon us. With the Eastern Cape and Western Cape having had their provincial championships last weekend, and KZN and Gauteng set to do the same this weekend.

One weekends break and then all aspirant marathon paddlers will then descend on St. Francis for the national championships, which will double as the selection race for the national team.

After some debate, the CSA marathon committee have decided to stick with their decision to combine the U23 and senior categories. Both will paddle the senior distance.

Next week, once I have the results of all of the regional competitions, I will lay it on the line and give you my predictions for the main game.

The Sunday after the marathon championships, the country's best surfski paddlers will be strutting their stuff in an effort to don green and gold, when they participate in the qualifying race, also at St. Francis.

Those wishing to have a crack at the national teams need to remember that they need to complete a nomination form.

Sticking with marathon, the ICF World Cup in Ruse, Bulgaria, set for this weekend, will be live streamed on the new platform "Recast".

Andy Birkett and Matthew Fenn will have their work cut out for themselves, against the likes of Jose Romalho. The 3 time world champion from Portugal, will be just one of the host of top international paddlers vying for gold.

Nix Birkett will be up against Vanda Kiszli, the Hungarian super star who has secured 4 world championship titles on a trot.

Five of our federation members put their hands up as a replacement for the position of athlete's representative on the CSA board.

The vote went the way of experience and commitment when Shaun Rubenstein, from the Western Cape, was appointed.

Turning to surfski. 

The previous "unofficial world championships", the Molokai challenge was held last weekend.

South Africa had a number of individuals representing sponsors, Shaw and Partners, and they did not disappoint, pulling off 3 of the top 5 positions.

Unfortunately, the trade winds did not cooperate and the race was held in grueling conditions.

Cory Hill, from Australia, renowned for his downwind prowess, proved that he also has the tenacity to compete in benign conditions, by edging out the evergreen Hank McGregor.

A massively impressive performance saw Joshua Fenn walking away with the last of the podium positions, with Uli Hart rounding off the top 5.

Current world champion, Kenny Rice found the going a bit tough and ended up in 8th. Short course world champion, Mark Keeling, battled with the conditions and scratched into 15th.

Pippa McGregor was the only one who brought back gold, when she won the relay race with Georgia Norton.

That's all for this week

Your SG

Copper 1111

And the joke

Two elderly ladies had been friends for many decades. Over the years, they had shared all kinds of activities and adventures. Lately, their activities had been limited to meeting a few times a week to play cards. One day, they were playing cards when one looked at the other and said, "Now don't get mad at me... I know we've been friends for a long time but I just can't think of your name. I've thought and thought, but I can't remember it. Please tell me what your name is."

Her friend glared at her. For at least three minutes she just stared and glared at her.  Finally she said, "How soon do you need to Know?"