Top junior rowers to clash on Kowie
St Benedict’s, St Mary’s will be tough to beat
SA’s top junior rowers will descend on the Kowie River for the 23rd edition of the Standard Bank SA School’s Boat Race, to be hosted by St Andrew’s College on Friday December 8 and Saturday December 9.
This premier event hosts 32 school and club crews from across the country participating in one of the prestigious competitions for junior rowers in SA.
Competitors have to navigate the twists and turns and changing tides of the Kowie River.
Defending champions St Benedict’s from Johannesburg, who have dominated their race category over 5.5km for the last four years, will be difficult to beat.
However, top rowing crews from the Eastern and Western Cape hope to challenge St Benedict’s for the title.
Taking part in the junior men’s event for the first time are Leonard Ntshuntshe School, who come from Emalahleni, Mpumulanga.
In the junior women’s division, St Mary’s School from Waverley, Johannesburg, have overwhelmed their opposition and are defending champions, having won the competition for eight consecutive years.
Newcomers to this event are Grassy Park Rowing Club from Cape Town and DSG (Diocesan School for Girls) from Makhanda, who are marking their return after an absence of nine years.
The junior women’s crews race over a 4.2km course, starting from the Centenary Park corner.
The crews will once again be based at the Halyards Hotel and are due to arrive through the week leading up to the event.
The first round of racing takes place on Friday December 8, with all teams participating in a time trial to kick off proceedings.
The junior women’s event kicks off at 2pm, followed by the men at 4.30pm.
Based on time trial results, crews are ranked into the finals competition taking place from Saturday morning onwards, which leads up to the A finals for both events on Saturday December 9.
The full programme of racing and further information can be found on the event website: https://sasrurace.co.za/ as well as on Facebook and Instagram.
Supersport Schools will be live-streaming the event on Supersport Channel 216 as well as on the Supersport Schools app.
Spectators are welcome to watch the racing from the many viewpoints on the river.
There will be a dedicated spectator zone at the Port Alfred Ski Club, both overlooking the finish line and showing the Supersport Schools live-stream of the racing further upriver, as well as offering a great selection of food and drink.