Paddlers thrive at SA Sprint Champs
Nearly 300 young paddlers made their way to Shongweni Dam at the weekend to compete in the South African Spirit Canoe Championships.
PADDLERS from across all nine provinces made their way to compete in the recent South African Sprint Canoe Championships at Shongweni Dam which proved the resurgence of interest in flat-water paddling in the country.
As the event doubled as the selection event for the Junior World Championships coming up later this year, a number of young, aspiring paddlers were given the opportunity to race on a national stage for the first time.
Over the three days of racing, more than 270 paddlers took to the water in various age categories and the most popular of these was the Boys’ U14 event. It boasted the largest group with 39 paddlers who fought it out for the top honours, later claimed by Ayanda Mpithi from the Asizenzele Primary School in Cato Ridge.
Leading the way in the U18 Girls’ category was Girls High School’s Melonie Croeser who beat Wykham Collegiate’s Laila Maher and Georgina Howard from Epworth, who took second and third place respectively.
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Matthew Privett from Hermanus High School won the overall U18 Boys’ title, ahead of Joshua Simpkins from Westville Boys’ High School in second and Khwandokuhle Mzolo in third. Among the senior ranks, it was the U23’s who dominated both the women’s and the men’s overall national titles.
Border’s Jade Wilson was the strongest paddler overall in the women’s category ahead of her provincial teammate, Zara Wood, while local Jenna Nisbet (neé Ward) ended in third overall.
The men’s overall crown went to U23 star, Alex Masina, ahead his fellow U23 paddlers, Sam Butcher in second and Jordy Malherbe in third.
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