29 March 2005

Darryl Bartho and Cameron McIntosh scored rare hat-tricks of South African canoeing tiles on the weekend, after successful defences of their wild water and slalom crowns on the Bushman's River outside Escourt.

Bartho swopped boats just before the start of the national wild water event after damaging his older boat in his final recce run down the tricky section of the Bushman's river, which was full after heavy overnight rains.

"It turned out to be a blessing in disguise", said Bartho. "The new boat felt great and it seemed quicker through the pools between the rapids. It feels great to win the title again, and I really want to commit to growing this exciting discipline."

Aiming for five
Bartho also wasted little time in setting his sights on winning the title twice more to be able to join the elite band of paddlers that have won it five times.

"Jerome Truran and Willem van Riet have both won it five times in succession", Bartho said. "They are both wild water legends, and I'd love to be able to do the same."

Bartho started the time trial format race first, so he had to race his hardest and then watch and wait as Shaun Biggs and Deon Bruss both finished slightly slower than he did, before he could enjoy his victory.

Rising Gauteng star Grant van der Walt took the junior title after an impressive display of roughwater skills over the five-kilometre course from Escourt to Sulphur Springs.

The day before, a big field tackled the waves and eddies of Black Rock rapid for the SA Slalom Championships, where a keen tussle between three former national champions, Alick Rennie, Guy Collyer and Cameron McIntosh, provided some thrilling racing.

Sixth national title
All three were clear on their first runs, with McIntosh just three seconds ahead of Collyer. The duo both went clear in the second runs, and McIntosh was again the fastest down the course by two seconds, which landed him his sixth national title.

"I was delighted to have won", McIntosh said afterwards. "I was surprisingly nervous on my first run, but then was able to put the hammer down on the second run."

McIntosh is currently locked into a frantic schedule as a fifth-year medical student, which does not offer much time to keep up his training. "I was thrilled with my form, given the little time I have been able to put into my training", he said.

The junior title went to Paarl-based Michael Watson, a grade 11 pupil at Bridgehouse School. He has been training with McIntosh in the Western Cape, after having started his career as a member of the Western Cape junior sprint squad.

Simon Dube took a top-five position overall in his K1, a rare departure from his familiar role as a C2 paddler.

Master Cele stars
C1 star Master Cele was also in exceptional form, and finished sixth overall in his canoe, easily winning his class, while Lembethe colleagues Cyprian Ngidi and Simon Dube took the honours in the C2 class.

Plucky Primrose "Rosy" Gwala took the women's K1 title from Emily Ngidi, with Kate Cornish in third.

Results - SA Wild Water Championships

Senior Men

	Master Cele showed his class with a first place and a second place in the C1 and C2 classes of the SA Slalom Championships

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