This last weekend’s racing was surfski – the SA Champs in Durban. Saturday was the doubles on a calm, windless day, which was won by Hank McGregor and Josh Fenn, just ahead of the U23 pair of Uli Hart and Mat Fenn. First home from Dabs was Wayne with Pippa McGregor winning the Mixed Doubles, followed by Brad Fish with Brendon Thompson from EL as the first Sub Grand Masters, then Rob and Mark as the third Sub Vets. The lady’s race was won by Capetonians Kira Bester and Melanie van Niekerk just ahead of Jenna Nisbet and Bridgette Hartley. Unfortunately, Christie was sick, so she and Saskia didn’t paddle. Also out there was Chris Carnegie, he has joined the Dolphin Coast Club, and is busy learning that surfski is very different to river paddling, as Wayne and the S1 results will also tell you. Sunday was more of a downwind and the S1 field was properly stacked. The Capetonians dominated as Uli took the win ahead of Mark Keeling and Dawid Mocke. Michelle Burn won the ladies ahead of Kira; both beating Wayne who came 36th saying he felt very average out there and that he was again reminded that surfski paddling is an entirely different sport, but he also said he loved every second of it, and wished he could do it more often. Rob just beat Mark while Fish only just made the top 100, showing how strong this year’s field was. Well done to our Navy boys who went and competed. As Wayne says, surfski is different, but it’s also lots of fun, so if you haven’t tried it out yet, why not give it a go. Pete Marlin is a fantastic way to spend a weekend; we hope to have the largest ever Navy contingent there this year for Mark Feathers 10-year commemoration.
In other news, our oldest paddler turned 84 on Sunday. Happy Birthday to Tony (Litening) Lightfoot, who is still going round in circles on the dam, still by himself in his yellow K2, still looking for a girlfriend, and still trying to sell some books from his shop in Northcliff Corner. He really appreciates visitors, especially if they bring cake.
Back in the day Litening was the Chief Editor of the Dabulamanzi Newsletters plus he was also the Transvaal Canoe Union’s First Safety Officer, and he still trying to coach new paddlers. He asked our reporters to share this sequence of pictures, which he says shows the importance of a good strong brace.
Ant (Tony) King and Tony Lightfoot shoot Goodenough’s Weir on the Umkomaas, look like they are about to swim, but brace and fight to stay upright, which they do; they are spun out and finish the race going backwards, but it’s better than swimming – thanks to a good strong brace. In the foreground of the last picture is a young, lean Stanley Freiman who was the first K1 home; Oscar Chalupsky and Greyling Viljoen won that year.
Our newer, younger safety officer and coach, Peter Geach, is planning to make Tugela 20’s an opportunity for all prospective river paddlers to become proficient and gain valuable points. For anyone else, it’s a gentle river, and a good excuse to get out of town for the weekend, go enjoy.
Till next time. Go Dabs!