11th-hour changes made to route of Berg River marathon

THE drought in the province has resulted in major changes to the Berg River Canoe Marathon, just days before the event is set to begin.

Organisers also said the weather and water conditions had scared off most of the region’s best local marathoners, and defending champion Hank McGregor and his Euro Steel team mate Jasper Mocké have opted to race surfski events in Canada and the US instead.

Race organisers had hoped that rainfall over the weekend would fill dams enough to allow the race to continue on its intended route when it starts tomorrow.

However, due to a trend of unpredictable rainfall in the current winter season, they were forced to come up with a contingency plan, they said yesterday.

“After the cold front that made landfall over the Western Cape this past weekend failed to make any significant impact on the level of the Berg River, the organisers of the Berg River Canoe Marathon have confirmed changes to the race route for the four-day classic from 12 to 15 July.”

They said the first stage from Paarl would be shortened by around 14km and will finish at the Hermon bridge. “This has been done principally due to the rapid growth of water hyacinth on the section between Hermon and the traditional overnight stop at Zonquasdrift,” the organisers said.

The hyacinth blockages continue from the start of the second stage, forcing race organisers to start day two at the Gouda bridge and finish at Bridgetown on Misverstand dam.

They said the second stage would in all likelihood include an out-and-back loop on Misverstand dam to make up some of the distance lost. “With Misverstand dam being one of the very few dams in the region to be spilling, stage three and four will be held as normal, albeit on a low river.

“The first overnight stop has been moved to Bridgetown to accommodate these late changes, and the second day’s start time has been moved out an hour to allow for changes to travel plans,” the organisers announced.