The world of paddling offers many different challenges out on the Indian Ocean, which laps the magnificent coastline of the Eastern Cape, not far off the Wild Coast.
The Daily Dispatch is particularly pleased to have the experience and expertise of Brendon Thompson, a giant in paddling circles, sharing his insight into the paddlers’ race, and he has shared humorous scenarios in an engine room very different from that of the runners.
One of the most famous paddling races, the 75th Dusi Canoe Marathon, clashes with Saturday’s Discovery Surfers Challenge, and it has inevitably attracted some of the top local paddlers to KwaZulu-Natal.
Thompson said t this “has left the door open for the ‘bomb squad’ paddlers” to show their talent from Yellow Sands to Nahoon in East London on Saturday.
He tipped Tyde Malherbe, Tayne Thompson and the evergreen Hendrik Sebastian (Hennie) Roos to be at the sharp end of the Surfers Challenge race.
Roos is recognised as being a legend to all, including the runners and spectators who will line the route and cheer at the finish.
The double canoe category is always fiercely contested, and Thompson ventured into waxing lyrical with “in the doubles, Bomber Robertson and Ollie Fowles will be pulling their stomachs in and sticking their chests out for podium positions, fuelled by the allure of cold beers located right next to the podium”.
Andre van Wyk and Thompson are described as being of “more advanced years but will undoubtedly challenge for bragging rights following their defeat to the same Robertson and Fowles duo last year” in what is described as having been an unexpected victory.
Apparently, the Border Canoe Club Boma has not been the same since.
“Repetitive recounts and never-ending self-validation echoing through the Milkwood trees deep into most Wednesday evenings until they have run out of unsuspecting listeners” is how Thompson described the past year with a large grin on his face.
Predictions for this year include a “special mention of Josh Fowles and Os Russell de Jongh, who are expected to take their weight category by entering”.
In the mixed double race, it is expected we are in “for an appetising dice with the Roach family and that of the Warren family, with the lead expected to swap repeatedly for most of the way”.
Again, and tongue in cheek, Thompson waded in with “the category has a family counselling session built into the prizes”.
The women’s section is expected to provide Peta Blaine with another victory to add to her winning streak.
Whatever the outcome, it seems likely the prize-giving will be another one of much joviality on Nahoon Beach after 6pm.
Would you like to comment on this article?
Sign up (it's quick and free) or sign in now.
Please read our Comment Policy before commenting.