The first major canoeing event for K1 paddlers that took place on Zandvlei and through the canals of the Marina da Gama on Saturday 10th May, in vitually perfect conditions, was the ‘ADT Marina 16’.
It was cool, with just a moderate North Westerly and but for the lowered water levels of the vlei – the CTCC breached the mouth of the Vlei in Falsi Bay at Muizenberg on Friday after the rains on Thursday and Friday -the approximately 100 paddlers who lined up has things pretty much in their favour.
This event is run differently to the regular caoeing races, in that the women start first – 4 minutes ahead of the men – to give them a fair chance to win the 1st lap ‘Hot Spot’ and again, this is what happend, Alexa Cole (Peninsula CanoeClub) holding off the charging men’s pack to be the first paddler across the line at the end of the 1st lap, with Kirsten Flanagan (Pen), Nikke Mocke (WSK) and Alex Adie following closely in her wake.
Cole went on to win the Women’s ‘Hot Spot’ as well, she being the first female paddler to cross the line at the end of the 2nd lap.
The men’s ‘Hot Spot’, also at the end of the 2nd lap, was won by Simon van Gysen of Peninsula Canoe Club.
In the Men’s event, the race got off to a furious start, some 6 paddlers bunching up at the first turning buoy, 500m from the start and consisted of Simon van Gysen (Pen), Stuart MacLaren (UCT), Lance King (Mil), Ivan Kruger (Cty), Graeme Solomon (Pen) and Kenny Rice (Pen). On this first lap, Rice was dropped, creating the unfavourable (for one paddler at least) 2nd slip on the racing ‘diamond’ of 5 paddlers before Solomon, for many years without peer in this event, was also worked off the bunch. This left van Gysen, King, MacLaren and Kruger to then swap the lead as they reeled off the 5km plus long laps of the 3 laps course on the vlei and ‘through the houses’ of Marina da Gama canals, the race all coming down to a final sprint (see photo attached), van Gysen outsprinting MacLaren and King to take the top spot in the very good time of 1 hour 06 minutes 56 seconds.
In the Women’s event, as already stated, the dominant paddler was Alexa Cole (Pen – 24th overall) although junior (U18) Kirsten Flanagan (also Pen – 26th overall), gave it her best shot to come in 5 seconds behind Cole’s winning time of 1 hour 15 minutes 53 seconds. 3rd was Nikki Mocke (WSK – 34th overall).
The top U23 paddlers were Stuart MacLaren (2nd overall) in 1:06:58 from Ivan Kruger (4th overall) and Kenny Rice (6th overall) whilst in the Junior Men’s U18 category, Stuart Bristow (Pen) cane home in the top spot (11th overall – in 1:11:00) from Mark Keeling (Pen – also the first U16 paddler 1: 13:22 – 17th overall) and Sam Forder-Harries (Pen – 19th overall).
In the Junior U18 women, first paddler home was Kirsten Flanagan (Pen) in 1:15:58 from Martine Beukes (Prl) and Jodi Cleworth (Pen).
SUMMARY OF RESULTS – ADT Marina de Gama K1 Canoe Race
Top Ten
1. Simon van Gysen – Pen, 1:06:56
2. Stuart MacLaren – UCT, 1:06:58:00
3. Lance King – Mil, 1:06:58:64
4. Ivan Kruger – Cty, 1:06:59
5. Graeme Solomon – Pen, 1:07:13
6. Kenny Rice – Pen, 1:10:12
7. Dominic Notten – Pen, 1:10:13
8. Craig Flanagan – Pen, 1:10:14
9. Ashley Carstens – Pen, 1:10:25
10. Ian Trautmann – Pen, 1:10:56
Senior Women
1. Alexa Cole – Pen, 1:15:53
2. Kirsten Flanagan – Pen, 1:15:58
3. Nikki Mocke – WSK, 1:19:09
U23
1. Stuart MacLaren – UCT, 1:06:58.
2. Ivan Kruger – Cty, 1:06:59
3. Kenny Rice – Pen, 1:10:12
U18 Men
1. Stuart Bristow – Pen, 1:11:00
2. Mark Keeling – Pen, 1:13:22
3. Sam Forder-Harris – Pen, 1:14:56.
U16 Men
1. Mark Keeling – Pen, 1:13:22
U14 Men
1. Ulvard Hart – Pen, 120:03.
Sub Veterans (35 – 39 years)
1. Ernest van Riet – US, 1:12:58
2. Richard Lemesurier- CSK, 1:24:30
3. Brett Steyn – Pen, 1:32:32
Veterans (40 – 44 years)
1. Graeme Solomon – Pen, 1:07:13
2. Anton Cartwright – Pen, 1:15:07
3. Crispin Thompson – Cty, 1:17:22
Sub Masters (45 – 49 years)
1. Ian Trautmann – Pen, 1:10:56
2. Rob Hart – Pen, 1:12:53
3. Brandon Collyer – Pen, 1:13:00
Masters (50 – 54 years)
1. Eugene van der Westhuizen- Mil, 1:12:57
2. Chris de Waal – Mil, 1:14:54
3. Mike Schwan – Mil, 1:19:38
Sub Grandmasters (55 – 59 years0
1. Paul Lange – Pen, 1:17:21
2. Nick Rockey – Pen, 1:17:23
3. Shaun Butler – Pen, 1:17:25
Grandmasters (60 – 64 years)
1. Rob Maclean – Pen, 1:17:53
2. Lionel Ekermansd – Mil, 1:24:33
3. Enslin van Riet – Mil, 1:28:59
Great Grandmasters (65 – 69 years)
1. Giel van Deventer – Prl, 1:27:01
2, Gerfried Negbe – Pen, 1:27:04
3. Johan van Rooyen – US, 1:34:20
Legends (70 plus years)
1. Edgar Boehm (snr) – Pen, 1:44:29