Dabs news – Dabs Paddler of the Year Information & Other Club Stuff

Hello again. We are introducing a new points system for the Dabs Paddler of the Year; based on sprints, marathons and river races at international, national and provincial levels. Attached is a spreadsheet as an example that details the applicable events and races along with the scoring system. It’s very simple, almost everyone can understand it; and we also attach a clean spreadsheet that will auto populate your score for you. So, if you think you might be a contender to win this title, or if you just want to see how you stack up against your mates, please be sure to fill it in and return by email, before end December, to Caren.

Click on the image below or here to download your own Dabs Results sheet.

However, if that’s not for you, if like the majority of us, you don’t typically win too much, well here’s your chance. Everyone now has the opportunity to win an exclusive Dabs hooded towel, for free. Yes, for free! The Dabs Derekane Winter Time Series runs for the next 3 months, starting June 1st and all you need to do is complete 8 TT’s and you will win one for yourself. Our sincere thanks to Steve Beal and Derekane who have been sponsoring the Winter Series for many years now. Be a winner – support the series!

Next Thursday it’s our AGM, so come paddle TT and then exercise your voting rights, hear what’s happening from our committee, provide feedback, and contribute to shaping our club’s future.

Then, in just two weeks’ time, it’s the SA Marathon Champs at St Francis Bay, needless to say this will be far more picturesque than Homestead Dam and hopefully you can convince your nearest and dearest that the venue would make for a great break from Jhb. Contact Mat B to book your boats on the trailer.

Before the Marathon Champs there some other races. Next weekend it’s the Big C, the Ultimate Human Race. We have 6 Dabs members entered, one lady currently battling an injury and not sure if she will get to start her first, one guy who is going for his Green Number, and 4 other brave men. Best wishes to all. If you haven’t seen it, check out the SuperSport documentary ‘Down.’ It’s well worth watching, as the race itself should be, especially now that SuperSport have taken over the coverage from the SABC. Also look out for the Prescient Freedom Paddle on SuperSport – its fantastic to see paddling getting good airtime on TV.

Then, 2 days after the Comrades runners leave Pietermaritzburg, some other mad (lycra clad) wombats will leave Pietermaritzburg and head to Paarl on their bicycles. This year there is only one Dabs name in the mix, – good luck to Mandy J, and we hope she makes a comeback to canoeing after this.

Talking long and hard, the next major river race is the Berg which is serving as the SA K1 Champs from 5 to 8 July. So far, Dabs has only 3 members entered, two novices in Dave and Dylan, and an old hand in Matt C who has an impressive 13 Bergs under his belt. We hope that there will be a few more Dabs members flying our flag and it would be fantastic if someone from our little dam would win it for us again. Back in the day Monteith won in ‘89, Perrow won in ’90, then Herreveld won from ‘91 to ’96 and we are waiting to see who is going to be the next hero to do this for us. Not an easy task; but what a prize.

Lots of people are putting on lots of stuff to keep us all busy, so go and enjoy!