Get ready for the Sella and the river bulls of Arriondas

OF ALL the world’s paddling races, only a few are on the upper rungs of the bucket list, and arguably none more so than the Sella Descent in Spain.

Steroid fuelled demigods whose sole purpose is to win the event for local pride do not compete anywhere else.

One famous Spanish paddler became even more revered after a doping bust.

Racing the Sella is just as much about experiencing the carnival atmosphere which engulfs the town of Arriondas.

After the national anthem has been sung, the mayor sounds the cannon for the start. Paddlers wait nervously with paddles in cattle lock gates to storm towards their boats lining the bank. A mad dash and clean start are essential to have even the remotest chance of scoring a top five placing.

It’s something South African paddlers have become good at, backed by our tremendous river racing pedigree.

Led by river racing icon Ant Stott over the last decade, a new breed of competitors are taking over.

Dusi King Andy Birkett, fresh from a maiden Berg River title is teaming up with local Greg Louw to take on the Sella this month. In what will be a great indication of their form heading into the September World Marathon Champs in the US, the pair are tipped for a top five placing.

Together with racing the Sella, their schedule includes a host of other races, jam-packing a 10-day trip which will provide much-needed racing practice.

South Africans have only won the race twice, the last back in 1997. The late Daniel Conradie and Moray Wilson famously took the title, which has been held by the Spanish ever since. Can Birkett and Louw break the Spanish stranglehold?

Meanwhile, paddlers can look forward to the fifth running of the popular Varsity College Breakfast Series. Presented by the Bay’s only dedicated paddling shop, the series offers a great platform for those wanting to build up towards the Fish River Marathon. Distances increase by two kilometres every week culminating in a solid 24km paddle. Long, slow distance training has proved to be a fundamental building block to solid fitness in all endurance sports. This season the series will be staged on the Sundays River.

Vaughn Jones, who passed away this week, will be remembered as a kind soul who loved to surf. A teacher in more ways than one, Jones introduced many to the ocean, and in turn began life-long salt water adventures for countless students.