3338 MEMORIAL ELANDS RIVER RACE – FEEDBACK – 8 FEBRUARY 2020.
FROM ERIC DIXON:
I want to express my appreciation to all paddlers that attended the race on Sat 8 February 2020. It is always difficult to predict water levels on this river and at the end the level was on the lower side, and guess what, the level is up by 4cumec this morning.
First a word of appreciation to my fellow club members. There was a number of huge logs over the river just 4 weeks ago and it took a lot of sweat and effort to get these logs removed. Some of the logs could be pulled out with
4×4’s and others simply had to be cut with hand saws.
In the background, JC Kriek worked hard to get the race organised, whether you organise a race for 1 paddler or a 100, the effort is the same.
I want to mention that this race is very important to the Scheepers family and like every other race, both Laetitia’s brothers, Josua and Albrecht and her sister Charlene was at the race. Always special to have them there.
In terms of the results, the race was won by local boys Piers Cruickshank and Roger Mortlock in a K2 in a time of 1:30:46 and I don’t know how they got so fast down that river on that level. Well done guys.
2nd and only 6min behind them also in a K2 was Loveday and Mpilo Zondi.
1st K1 and 3rd overall was Richard Cele in 1:43:45 followed by another Lowvelder Ant Baird in 1:48:01 followed by another Vandervelder (as YT like to call us, and where were you YT?) Wikus Loots in 1:49:37.
1st lady was Sonja Bohnsack in a very good time of 2:08:58 followed in 2nd place by Kirsty Pott and Sylvia Nel in 3rd. Very nice to have had 3 ladies in K1’s on the river.
Thank you to all the “not so young” paddlers for supporting this race and they are always at Croc as well, guys like Meyer, Scatter, Peter, Skid, Nigel, Jim, I think it is about the whole field that entered that should be
mentioned. It’s always great to see you at our races, your appreciation, and it is always nice to see how you have enjoyed the days paddling.
Hope to see you all at Croc later this year where we have a guaranteed water release. If you could paddle Elands, you can paddle Croc. Best river in the country.
All the best.
Eric Dixon