Breede to host SA K2 Champs
27 August 2008
The 41st edition of the Canon Breede River Marathon, which takes place on 5 and 6 September, will play host to the South African K2 River Championship over a stretch of river that is widely regarded as an ideal test of marathon racing skills and stamina.
The 75-kilometre route between Robertson and Swellendam features broad expanses of river that are ideal for the tactics and intrigues of marathon river racing; they are interspersed with a number of testing weirs and rapids and the river is running at a consistently good level thanks to the unusually wet and rainy winter.
Entries
Entries have been pouring into the organisers office at Milnerton Canoe Club long after the passing of the normal entry deadline. Already over 330 paddlers have entered, the vast majority of them in K2s, with a K3 entry from Gauteng set to be on the starting line as well.
Amongst the entries received is that of Breede icon Charles Melck who, at 71, will extend his record as the oldest man in the field. He has entered with Angus Hemp.
Melck also shares the record for the most races completed with the same partner, having completed 14 Breede Marathons with Deon Krige.
Another masters' combination back on the startline is the indomitable duo of Andre Collins and Roelof Van Riet. In all, Collins has completed 30 of the 40 editions of this popular Western Cape classic.
Defending champions
Defending champions Len Jenkins and Cam Schoeman will face a tough battle to defend their title; Hank McGregor has teamed up with Dawid Mocke in an untested combination of two former double champions and they will certainly mount a strong challenge for the honours.
The duo has never raced a river race together but, after their recent victory in the tough 56-kilometre Scottburgh to Brighton surf ski race, McGregor asked Mocke if he would be willing to continue the partnership for the Canon Breede.
McGregor has been in sublime form this year, winning the Durban Surf Ski World Cup ten days before his fifth victory in the Isuzu Berg, followed by a successful defence of his Tracker Highlands Challenge title.
Two-time winners
Both he and Mocke are former two-time winners of the Canon Breede. Mocke won it with Peter Cole in 2000, which announced his arrival as an elite river marathoner, and then followed that up with victory with the Cape stalwart Graeme Solomon in 2004, while McGregor won the race with Len Jenkins in 2005 and 2006.
Mocke is not phased by the fact that they have not trained together for the race. "We managed to win the Scottburgh to Brighton without ever training together," he said. "Hank is such a laid back kind of guy and we really get on well, which is important in any combination."
Both paddlers are acutely aware of the potential pitfalls along the course. While Mocke has twice tasted victory, he has also seen potential victories slip through his fingers. Apart from a few swims at the low level bridge at the end of the first stage, he also limped out of another Breede with a badly cut foot following a swim at the Waterfall Rapid.
"It would be nice to win the SA double ski and the SA K2 River Champs titles in the same year. But then you can't start counting you chickens before they hatch," said Mocke. "The Breede is renowned for its surprises!"
Mistakes
"Paddlers always make mistakes at the low weirs on the first day, but you just have aim to keep yourself in your boat," said McGregor. "On the second day there's not too many tricky areas, so it's best to get yourself ahead on the first day to prevent yourself from playing catch up."
In their recent victory in the Scottburgh to Brighton surf ski race, which earned them the SA double ski title, McGregor was happy to let Mocke sit in the front cockpit and steer the ski. However, they have agreed to reverse that arrangement for the Breede.
"Hank will drive the boat, definitely," said Mocke. "I warned him that I don't really see eye to eye with rivers. I have seen the river at all sorts of levels, so I have a fairly good idea of where to go. I have won it when it was full and won it when it was low, which helps."
Sponsors
The race sponsors are happy to be involved with the multi-faceted long-standing event. "Canon got involved with the Breede Marathon because paddling is not only a competitive sport, but a recreation activity combining exploration, adventure, wilderness encounter and comradeship," explained Canon Managing Director Brandin van Vuuren.
"The Breede Marathon is the biggest K2 event in the Cape, with loads of potential, and we would want to see the Breeder become one of the top three K2 events in South Africa."
The race will once again be staged over the popular two-stage format, starting in Robertson and finishing 37 kilometres later at Riggton Farm, with the 38 kilometre second stage starting at Drew Bridge and ending at "Die Stroom", Bontebok National Park, outside Swellendam.
The event forms the high point of the Western Cape's K2 racing season, following hot on the heels of a highly successful Isuzu Berg River marathon.
Source: Canoeing South Africa
