Gautengers at the SA Marathons interprovincial event in Pietermaritzburg enjoyed the smart new course being set up for the World Marathon Championships to be hosted at Natal Canoe Club in 2017 and the relatively mild weather.
The top podium names were not new nor surprising as South Africans watched the thrilling challenges between the top paddlers in the country and while Andy Birkett grabbed his first senior SA K1 Marathon title in a thrilling three boat showdown with World Champions Hank McGregor and Jasper Mocké, his girlfriend and Olympic medallist Brigitte Hartley mirrored his achievement by winning the women’s title convincingly.
World Champions Hank McGregor and Jasper Mocké successfully defended their men’s K2 title at the South African flatwater marathon canoeing championships at Camps Drift against a chasing Birkett with Greg Louw.
FULL results are available on the Natal Canoe Club website – HERE.
Photos have also been posted on the Canoeing SA Facebook.
IF anybody has Gautengers photos in high resolution for newspaper use, to forward to ME, I would be happy to provide to newspapers for news articles…..
The SA Marathon championships, which served as a dress rehearsal for the 2016 World Cup and the 2017 World Champs at the same venue, wrapped up with a full day of K2 racing on Sunday and concluded with the announcement of the teams selected for the Masters Cup and World Marathon Championships in Hungary in September.
Gautengers also claimed a number of podium positions finishing 3rd overall as the Gauteng team in the K1 races with 71 points against 73 from Western Cape and 188 earned by Natal.
Our province is particularly proud of the junior teams who achieved exceptionally well with first place in Under 8 boys and Under 10 girls from Likkewaan’s club in Parys – Divan Bornman and his older sister Anja Bornman while Ameerah Hank (FLCC) brought in the silverware in that age group. Chentin Mienie also from Parys brought home gold in Under 10 boys with Nicholas Erwee from Dabs (St Davids) clinched the bronze medal.
The Under 12 girls also claimed silver and bronze with Kamilah Hank (FLCC) in 2nd and Tinyiko Mahwayi (SOW) in third. Wian Bornman (LIK) took the 2nd Under 14 highly competitive podium position, while club colleague Caroline van der Linde was 3rd Under 16 girl. Alex Masina and Sibusiso Chwayi (JCC and SOW) led the Under 16 boys to victory taking 1st and 2nd place.
Meanwhile in the Senior age categories K1 podium positions were achieved by Dave Hamilton-Brown (Dabs) as 1st Veteran with Wikus Loots (LOW) 3rd, and in the Sub Masters, Gustav Smook (LOW) was the first finisher home……Katarzyn Lapacz (FLCC) finished 3rd in the ladies Sub Grand master age category where Nicholas Oldert brought back silver (Dabs).
Brian Longley (Dabs) finished as first Sub Great Grand master, with Vincent Buttrick (ERK) 2nd in the Great Grand Master age group.
In the K2 races where the province finished up 2nd to KZN’s 238 points with 107, there were also a number of podium positions to be proud of with Alex Masina and Sibusiso Chwayi (JCC/SOW) clinching the Under 16 title, Nicole Smith partnered with Julia van der Westhuysen (Dabs / WP) clinched 2nd Under 18 girls, while the third place finishers were Under 16 Caroline van der Linde partnered with Keegan Keiser (LIK/WP) in this age group.
Wayne Jacobs doubled with Nick Longley (Dabs/WP) to take the 2nd place Sub Veteran podium, and Dave Hamilton Brown partnered up with Dave Wilson to win the Veteran age group (Dab/KZN).
Gustav Smook and Theo Smit (Low/Cen) won the Sub Master category, while the Master win was achieved by Nicholas Oldert with Colin Wilson. The Sub Great Grand Master winners were Brian Longley (Dabs) partnered with WP Giel van Deventer, while the Great Grand master winners were Vince Buttrick (ERK) partnered with Ronald Maurer (KZN).
Well done to the Gautengers for their achievements and to all those who participated and contributed towards a successfull interprovincial event!
Jennie Dallas
for GCU PR
082 857 857 1