The Stellenbosch-based Maties Canoe Club has the biggest club entry countrywide this year, with at least 16 paddlers committed to starting the 62nd Berg River Marathon in Paarl next week.
The group, charged mainly by the “Turbo Toppies” as all 50-year-old plus paddlers at the Maties Canoe Club are known, will start the grueling four-day event at the Market Street Bridge in Paarl on Wednesday July 3, and end four days and 240 km later on Saturday, July 6 in Velddrif along the West Coast.
This contingent includes 76-year-old Johan van Rooyen with 16 Bergs, Gerhard Beukes with 40, Francois Loedolff with 38, and Johan (Mossie) Serdyn with 33 Bergs, respectively.
Stellenbosch University students Tayla Isaac and Angus Dick are the only novices in the group tackling the marathon for the first time.
The entire group of Maties Canoe Club paddlers who have committed themselves to this year’s Berg with their number already completed are Hanré Streicher (7), Francois Loedolff (38), Francois Meyer (9), Danie Brink (6), Johan van Rooyen (16), David Malherbe (7), Daantjie Malan (12), Andries JP Smit (26), Gert van Deventer (17), Barry Muller (5), Morné Jumeni (2), Gerhard Beukes (40), Johan (Mossie) Serdyn (33), Conrad Kriel (3), Angus Dick (0), and Tanya Isaac (0).
The whole course of the 240 km Berg River Marathon comprises four days divided as follows: Day One from Paarl to Zonquasdrif 62 km; Day Two from Zonquasdrif to Bridgetown 46 km; Day Three from Bridgetown to Zoutkloof 75 km; and Day Four from Zoutkloof to Velddrif 57 km.
Irish paddler David Horkan, a previous winner of the K1 section of the nonstop 200km Devizes to Westminster International Canoe Race, is touted as one of the favorites to win the race, including ten women this year.
