Stage is set for Sprinters battle
Sprint Canoe action is set to kick into high gear on Thursday morning as the South African Schools and Senior Sprint Cup is battled out on the Buffalo River.
Two rounds will be competed over successive weekends, the first starting from this Thursday until Saturday and the second next week Friday and Saturday.
Some of the best canoe sprinters from around the country will be in action over the five days.
Local canoeists will also be aiming to impress and test themselves against the best that the country has to offer.
“This week is the main event with the schools involved and will see a lot of paddlers from around the country taking part,” said race organiser Beth Burton.
“Next week will be a very small group. It will just be the people who are vying for the SA team to go to worlds, so it will be the best of the best left.”
The event will see paddlers from the U8 age group all the way up to the masters division competing over the next three days.
One of the biggest names taking part will be Olympic bronze medallist Bridgette Hartley, and she will lead a strong contingent of contenders taking part.
“There are quite a few good women contenders in the mix,” said Burton.
“It is going to be really interesting. Most of the paddlers are really equal, so there should be some very exciting close racing.
“On the local front we are hoping the youngster, Jordy Malherbe, will do well. He is our main local man, but he has unfortunately been sick the last few weeks, so we are just hoping he will be able to challenge out there.”
Also adding to the event will be a number of German paddlers taking part.
The athletes arrived earlier this month as part of a group from Lower Saxony in Germany, which has a standing twinning cooperation between the Eastern Cape government and German Federation State.
The German athletes and coach are here for a pre-season training camp, as it is their winter in Germany, and they have held training sessions for budding young East London paddlers.
“We are very happy to have
Local canoeists will be up against best in the country
them be a part of the event and I am expecting them to do extremely well,” said Burton.
“Europe is so much more advanced than us in terms of sprint paddling, so it is fantastic for them to be here to compete, and we can then see what progress we have made.”
The action gets under way at 7.30am on Thursday and will see all 1,000m events for U16, U18, U23 and seniors competed.
On Friday it is a 7.30am start for all 500m events from U8 to senior as well as the K2 women and K1 men long-distance.
Saturday also sees a 7.30am start, with all 200m from U8 to senior and the K1 women and K2 men long-distance, while the final medal ceremony and overall prize-giving takes place at 4pm.