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A flurry of paddlesport activities will be taking place in the country over the next 3 weeks. It starts, this weekend with the hosting of the African Canoe Polo Championships in Cape Town.
Don Wewege sent us this report:
The 2025 CAC African Canoe Polo Champs will be the second time this event is being held in Cape Town with the venue being in Century City. South Africa is fielding strong squads in both the men's and women's categories with the aim of qualifying all our teams for the World Championships in Duisberg next year. The championship runs over three days from yesterday (Friday, 3rd October) until Sunday.
As the sport is still growing in Africa, Namibia is the only other nation taking part and they have sent a men's and an U21 men's team. Our national mens, U21A and U21B teams will be working hard to qualify for World Champs.
The South African U21 women's team will automatically qualify for the World Champs, so the girls of our U21A and U21B are already working towards World Champs and putting on a good show with the national selectors at the event and watching over the games! They will be pushed hard by our U18 men's team and the national women's team.
The tournament will be live-streamed on YouTube, with the Adrenaline Coaching YouTube channel.
Next weekend is the Fish River Canoe Marathon, which is doubling as the SA K2 River Championships for 2025.
There are some fascinating combinations on the entry list. The bookmakers would suggest not betting against the combination of previous world marathon champions Andy Birkett and Hamish Lovemore. Hamish will be looking to lift his spirits after the disappointment of having to withdraw from the world championships in Hungary a couple of weeks ago.
Joining them on the start line will be the combination of Clint Cook, who has teamed up with last years Sella winner, Frenchman, Jeremy Candy. Another boat that will be in the mix will be the Gauteng pairing of Wayne Jacobs and Siseko Ntondini.
The women’s race appears to be wide open with Abby Solms making a comeback, teamed with Ashley Craig.
The Fish is struggling with numbers this year after the cancellation of the event last year due to an outbreak of foot and mouth. Compounded by the fact that the ICF Ocean Racing World Championships is taking place the next weekend, a large number of paddlers were forced to make a choice between the two.
The countdown to the World Championships has almost reached the finish line. In 16 days time it will all be over.
Preparations for the event have been going well, with some fantastic innovations being introduced by the organising committee and an awesome opening ceremony being planned.
Single ski entries are just shy of the 500 mark, with just a few days left to entries closing. And 208 SS2’s had already signed up.
There will be 32 nations represented with internationals making up almost half the field.
The Durban Undersea Club is already a hive of activity, with a number of internationals having arrived already to begin preparations.
Both the men’s and the women’s fields are well stacked, with all of the major protagonists throwing their names into the hat.
The women’s race is likely to be a tussle between Kiwi Danielle Richards, the reigning world champion, Kira Bester, and KZN’s Michelle Burn, with paddlers of the quality of Saskia Hockly and Jade Wilson well capable of upsetting the apple cart.
The men’s race is even more of a lottery. Current gold medallist Gordan Harbrecht from Germany, fancying his chances against multiple world champion Cory Hill and local lads Nic Notten, Kenny Rice, Uli Hart and local favourite Hank McGregor.
All eye’s will, however, be on the weather.
The organisers are dreading having to make the call to resort to an inshore race due to hectic and unsafe conditions. So, here is hoping for a nice 20 knot SW with small surf at the end.
The SS2 race will be the largest SS2 world championships since the inception of the event, and a record that will probably stand for many years to come.
All competitors, as well as their supporters, will do well to make their way to the opening ceremony on Thursday, October 16th at 4 o’clock at the uShaka Marine World. It is going to be the best opening ceremony in history.
A quick recap of the premier K2 race in the country, the Breede.
You can find full race results here.
Once again, a fantastic event through the winelands.
JT Basson is now only one race short of the magical 40, having completed his 39th Breede and is now leading the pack ahead of Andre Collins and Giel Van Deventer's 38. |
