Four boats racing for two days on the breede meant no room for error. It is unfortunate that error decided the race result but hey, I race rivers and that’s what happens in the sport. We always take gambles in sport, sometimes it ends in your favour and sometimes it ends in disappointment.
Breede was a trial event for Pierre-Andre and myself before Fish to test the new Velox Xterminator and get comfortable paddling together. I drove for day 1 and Pierre-Andre drove for day two which worked a bit better for us with him in the front. For those non-paddlers, paddling in the back of a K2 is very different from the front in your duties and responsibilities.
On day 1 we had to portage a low bridge near half way which was too low to paddle under and instead of the conventional portage on the left hand bank we pushed the boat under the bridge whilst we ran over the bridge to get in on the other side. I will find the video of this and post the link here. http://www.facebook.com/video/video.php?v=10150297086871647
Day two was decided 500 metres before the finish where two boats (Stott/Solomon & Rabie/Birkett) went left around an island whilst King/Schloms went right with Boehm/Glass. After the split, the right line was much faster leaving us to try make up as much time as possible but it was too late and we were at the finish.
I am disapointed with our result considering how well we were going on day two yet this was a race to get us in a boat together before fish which has helped us get comfortable and used to each other again on the water.
SUMMARY OF RESULTS
STAGE TWO HANSA BREEDE RIVER CANOE MARATHON
1.Lance King/Heinrich Schloms 4:11.15
2.Alasdair Glass/Edgar Boehm 4:11.16
3.Ant Stott/Graeme Solomon 4:11.35
4.Pierre-Andre Rabie/Andy Birkett 4:11.37
5.Steve Farrell/Nick Burden 4:23.21
6.Stu McLaren/Lance Kime 4:23.23
7.Trentle Lamble/Andrew Birkett 4:27.21
8.Diaan du Toit/Hennie du Plooy 4:33.04
9.Scott Johnson/Stuart Laing 4:33.30
10.Tom Schilperoort/Samantha Murray 4:33.31 (1st MD)
WOMEN
1.Abby Adie/Alex Adie 4:50.07
2.Kirsten Flanagan/Jodi Cleworth 4:52.19
3.Kim Burgman/Angie Gafney
4.Robyn Henderson/Jean Wilson
5.Kerry Louw/Kirsten Wessels
MIXED DOUBLES
1.Tom Schilperoort/Samantha Murray 4:33.31
2.Simon van Gysen/Amy Hare 4:33.31
3.Ian Trautmann/Natascha Bracale 4:44.23
4.Chris de Waal/Lisa Scott 4:45.28
5.Louw van Riet/Kirsten Penderis 4:53.37
JUNIORS
1.Craig Flanagan/Dominic Notten 2:27.21
2.Luke Stowman/Divino Pietersen 2:33.20
3.Michael Farringer/Daniel Louis Buys U16 2:35.08
4.Kenny Rice/Nicholas Notten U16 2:36.34
5.Danie Botes/Michael Pretorius 2:40.21
Check the Gameplan Media race report: http://www.gameplanmedia.co.za/breede/breede1109.html
