WCCU

The Western Cape Canoe Union hosts four major events each season:

• The Freedom Paddle surf ski race, held on the 27th of April, an exciting 30km race around Robin Island to celebrate Freedom Day;
• The 4-day epic Berg River K1 Marathon from Paarl to Velddrif covering 244 kilometers in July
• September sees the season shift to the Breede River and the Breede River Marathon, which is raced over 78 kilometers between the Klein Karoo town of Robertson and the Overberg’s Swellendam
• Lastly the Cape Point Challenge, a 50+ kilometer paddle starting at Witsands on the Atlantic Coast, rounding the iconic Cape Point and finishing at Fish Hoek beach.

Leading up to these events, the WCCU, through the clubs in the region, host a number of 1-day races on sections of the Berg and Breede Rivers that make up the marathon races that are held on them, these being between approximately 20 to 40 kms in length as well as a 2-day event on the Olifants River in the Citsudal region of the Cape and the Stanford Festival on the Diep River.

Prior to the river racing season, the Union hosts Sprint Championships (usually in April) for all categories of paddlers in their different age groups and for K1 and K2 canoes, before Canoe Marathon Championships (again for all age categories and for K1’s and K2’s) that are run normally in late May.

In April each year, when the SA Schools Canoe Sprint Championships are held (normally in Kwazulu-Natal or in Gauteng), the WCCU sends a team that performs exceptionally well.

During the summer months, the accent on canoeing focuses on Junior paddlers and flat water (sprint) regattas which are organized around the province for paddlers 18 years and younger, competing over the normal sprint distances; 200m, 500m and 1000m as well as a Junior Marathon longer event of 3000m to introduce them to the longer events.

In January, the West Coast Canoe Challenge takes place in Velddrif and the flatwater event provides a perfect opportunity for novices and juniors to ease themselves into the racing scene.

Also during the summer months in the Cape, there is a vibrant series of surf ski paddling races that are held at various venues in False and Table Bays as well as in the open seas off the Peninsula. Similar to what is available in winter for canoeists, surf ski paddlers have a couple of major events each summer, some incorporating the best “Downwinds” the world has to offer. Local surf ski time trials are held daily by various clubs, for more information visit the WCCU website.

The Union also has a thriving development program that has taken the sport of canoeing to many who otherwise might never have been able to get onto the water. This is evident by the number of Junior development paddlers participating in Sprints and Marathon competitions with great success.

Contact:

Administration: Rene Boehm (Cell) 0733639866 (Email) reneboehm@mweb.co.za
Website: wccanoeunion.co.za

The clubs which are presently affiliated to WCCU are:

NAME	CLUB	POST	NAME	SURNAME	CELL	EMAIL
Century City CC	CTY	Chair	BIANCA	BEAVITT	084 824 1021	biancabeavitt@gmail.com;
Fish Hoek Beach & Surf C	FHBS	Chair	GUY	PARR	082 825 1502	parr@bramptonpractice.co.za
Freedom Paddle C	FREE	Chair	ROBIN	TINDAL	084 513 4796	robmobius@gmail.com
Langebaan CC	LAN	Chair	Walter	Hart		walter@sicitur.co.za
Milnerton CC	MIL	Chair	RICHARD	ALLEN	082 650 5798	richarda@akaciamedical.co.za
Peninsula CC	PEN	Chair	LIS	HART	082 577 3764	lishart5614@gmail.com
Paarl CC	PRL	Chair	HEIDI	WELGEMOED	082 774 5546	ecwelgemoed@mweb.co.za
Stanford CC	STA	Chair	Chris	Wolf	083 455 3605	chris@ips.co.za
Stillbaai Paddling C	STP	Chair	BRIAN	WHEAL		bmwheal@gmail.com
Strand Canoe & Surf C	STR	Chair	ARMAND	VAN NIEKERK	082 219 8400	armandvanniekerk@yahoo.com
Tygervally CC	TYG	Chair	GERRIT	BURGER	082 800 8766	burger.ge@gmail.com
Stellenbosch CC	US	Chair	CONRAD	KRIEL	079 607 4865	conradkriel7006@gmail.com
Western Cape Polo C	WCP	WP Rep.	Terrence	Ward	079 137 6963	terrence@paddleexperience.co.za
West Coast CC	WSC	Chair	RENE	BOEHM	073 363 9866	reneboehm@mweb.co.za;