TOP ROW – LUKE SALMON, TOME DOS SANTOS, THEO DREYER, NICHOLAS ERWEE, FINLAY LEASK, JORDAN KLOPPER
FRONT ROW – CAITLYN EVANS AND HELEN JANSEN VAN VUUREN
The Olympic Hopes Regatta took place in Racice, Czech Republic on 10 – 12 September 2021, with a 15-strong team of aspiring South African age-group paddlers who tested their skills against the world’s best at the Olympic Hopes Regatta in Račice, Czech Republic from 10-12 September.
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This regatta gives the paddlers the opportunity to test themselves against their counterparts from around the world and assess their abilities as they begin their international sprinting careers.
With the aim of maximising experienced gained at international level, the South African contingent will be racing in as many races as they can, ranging from K1’s to K4’s over distances from 200 metres to 1000 metres. (K1 = Single Kayak. K2 =Double Kayak, K4 = 4 man Kayak) – per the Olympic discipline.
In the boys division there were ten paddlers from Under 15 to Under 17 including the young St Davids Marist College Inanda canoeing team youth – Luke Salmon, Tome dos Santos, Theo Dreyer, Nicholas Erwee, and Jordan Klopper, and De La Salle College’s Finlay Leask, while a strong group of girls also participated including our local Caitlyn Evans, and Helen Jansen van Vuuren from the Afrikaanse Hoerskool Germiston – a canoeing member at Victoria Lake Canoe Club, based at Germiston Lake!
The South African team rose to the occasion and achieved good positions in the various races they competed in, managing to make it to the Semi Finals and finals, and gained extensive experience in international racing etiquette so are richer for the experience!