Not often I get to stand on the banks and watch a race unfold like this past weekend in Cradock at the 2007 Hansa Powerade Fish River Canoe Marathon. I dare I say I was made for it, but then the Fish is arguably one of the most thrilling spectator events I can think of. Its posisble to drive down river and watch every couple of kilometres, including some of the high drama sections of the river. The Fish is a must ‘watch’ and a ‘must do’ for any endurance adventurist.
(Marlow Chute – second last obstacle on Day2 – Jacques Theron leads and international paddler down)
(Grassridge Dam – The start Day1)
The race was dominated in brilliant fashion by South Africa’s two in form river paddlers, Len Jenkins and Abbey Miedema. Len breaking his own record, and Abbey coming close to her previous record too. Both build unsurmountable leads on the longer Day1 of 47km, and held onto that on the Day2 leg finishing in Cradock.
(Len Jenkins left, Hank McGregor right, at Towstrack, 20min into Day1)
(Some of the local’s supporting)
(Steve, Ruth’s brother, on the far left, near end of Day1)
(Michael Mbanjwa on Day2, Longacre Bridge, chasing a group of 3 international paddlers)
(Jacques Theron shooting Cradock Weir, the final hurdle 10min before the end. An international paddling swims below)
(Abbey Miedema leading through Gauging Weir)
There are two option at Cradock Weir, the first clip shows two internationals and Brett Bartho approaching from the conventional right, and the second shows Steve down the tricker but faster left drop.
(The right hand side of Cradock)
(Steve down the left)
Top Twenty results:
Hansa Powerade Fish 2007
Pos Number1Name1 Srname1 Name2 Surname2 Day 1 Day 2 Time KPositioSex Age
1 8004 LEN JENKINS JNR 02:49:50.702:07:48.204:57:39.0K1 1
2 6381 HANK MC GREGOR 02:52:48.802:11:04.805:03:53.6K1 2
3 2115 GRANT VAN DER WALT 02:52:50.002:11:23.705:04:13.8K1 3 U(18)1
4 8422 SVEN BRUSS 02:56:21.902:11:26.405:07:48.3K1 4
5 4475 GREG LOUW 02:56:22.902:11:26.805:07:49.7K1 5 U(21)1
6 8031 ANT STOTT 02:59:13.802:08:48.705:08:02.6K1 6
7 1811 MIKE HARRIS 02:59:13.002:13:05.005:12:18.1K1 7
8 1020 JACQUES THERON 03:01:05.202:14:08.905:15:14.2K1 8
9 19 STEPHAN STIEFENHOEFER 03:01:05.902:14:29.405:15:35.3K1 9
10 18 FLORIAN WOHLERS 03:02:26.902:14:09.705:16:36.7K1 10
11 20 RUDY GERARD 03:03:06.702:13:30.505:16:37.3K1 11
12 7471 BRETT BARTHO 03:01:06.902:17:05.405:18:12.3K1 12
13 21 JAKA JAZBEC 03:05:21.002:13:45.605:19:06.6K1 13
14 8684 STEPHEN BIRD 03:05:34.202:13:36.705:19:10.9K1 14 U(21)2
15 9920 MARK MULDER 03:05:32.402:13:46.505:19:18.9K1 15
16 5392 HEINRICH SCHLOMS 03:01:06.502:19:13.205:20:19.7K1 16
17 2001 MICHAEL MBANJWA 03:02:28.302:19:08.105:21:36.4K1 17
18 5802 PIERRE-ANDRE RABIE 03:05:33.602:17:39.405:23:13.0K1 18 U(18)2
19 8417 DEON BRUSS 03:05:35.702:19:17.905:24:53.7K1 19
20 9678 SHAUN GRIFFIN 03:06:36.502:19:14.705:25:51.3K1 20 U(21)3
The first three woman came in 46th, 57th and 64th:
46 5408 ABBEY MIEDEMA 03:11:44.302:26:55.405:38:39.7K1 43 F1
47 5860 DANE SANVIDO 03:14:11.802:25:03.905:39:15.8K1 44 U(21)7
48 2626 JUAN MAREE 03:17:13.402:22:38.405:39:51.8K1 45 U(21)8
49 5136 GAVIN WHITE 03:18:57.702:21:11.705:40:09.4K1 46 U(21)9
50 6351 KEVIN WHITE 03:17:18.302:23:04.305:40:22.6K1 47 SV3
51 5506 BRETT DORMAN 03:17:34.002:24:22.405:41:56.5K1 48 U(18)7
52 4710 ANDREW SKOWNO 03:17:07.802:25:22.605:42:30.4K1 49
53 8405 WARREN VALENTINE 03:17:16.602:25:54.005:43:10.6K1 50 SV4
54 4090 ROSS MCGEARY 03:20:08.502:23:13.705:43:22.2K1 51 U(21)10
55 1 STUART CLIFTON NANETTE KELLY 03:19:12.602:24:25.205:43:37.8K2 4 X1
56 2227 GAVIN PAYNE 03:17:19.702:26:25.005:43:44.7K1 52
57 22 MICHALA MRUZKOVA 03:18:32.402:25:36.605:44:09.0K1 53 F2
58 8555 NICK STUBBS 03:18:24.402:26:09.905:44:34.3K1 54 U(21)11
59 1083 DEAN BURSCOUGH HARALD WATTRUS 03:18:31.402:26:05.905:44:37.3K2 5 M1
60 9860 CHRISTOPHER COUVE 03:21:38.702:23:10.505:44:49.2K1 55 U(21)12
61 4983 BRUCE VIAENE 03:17:09.002:28:19.305:45:28.3K1 56 U(21)13
62 5333 PIETER-WILLEM BASSON JT BASSON 03:19:13.302:26:25.805:45:39.2K2 6
63 1078 MURRAY BURGESS 03:21:34.102:24:09.605:45:43.7K1 57 U(16)3
64 5361 ALEXA LOMBARD 03:14:46.002:31:40.305:46:26.3K1 58 F3
