Maties Development Canoeists vying for 2024 China World Champs

Staff Reporter|Published 1 year ago

Maties Canoe Club’s development group of some 20 paddlers - some as young as 10 years old - attend up to five training sessions a week under the supervision of coach Susanne Fietz, far left, and compete in all local and national championships as far as funding allows them to do. Back, right is Karen Swart, Maties Canoe Club sport manager. At the front are Romano Lackay, Dale Pretorius, Camurin Abrahams, and Keeshia Lacka, the four Maties Canoe Club paddlers who were all awarded SA Federation Colours after their participation in the the World Junior Championships in Belfast, Northern Ireland this year.See page 12

Maties Dev OneThe four Maties Canoe Club paddlers who were all awarded SA Federation Colours, after their participation in the the World Junior Championships in Belfast, Northern Ireland this year, are Camurin Abrahams, 18, Dale Pretorius, 17, Keeshia Lackay, 16, and Romano Lackay, 14. The are flanked by Karen Swart Maties, Canoe Club sport manager, left, and coach, Professor Susannne Fietz, right.

Maties Canoe Club development paddlers who have excelled this past year, by not only representing South Africa at the World Junior Championships in Belfast and the African Championship in Gauteng, are now vying for selection into the SA team for the 2024 World Championships in China.

“Our two eldest canoe polo players Camurin Abrahams, 18, and Dale Pretorius, 17, stand a fair chance of being selected into the U21 National Team during the upcoming National Canoe Polo training and selection camp in December this year,” says the coach, Professor Susannne Fietz.

“Taking into account that both of them were already awarded SA National Federation Colours after their participation in U18 teams in July this year at the World Junior Canoe Polo Champs in Belfast, Northern Ireland it makes them good contenders for the China trip,” says Susanne.

The dedication of coach Suzanne over the past four years (who is also a Department Earth Sciences professor at the Stellenbosch University) is certainly paying off, judging by her overall results of her training group.

In March 2023, they won the SA Canoe Polo Champs Under-18 in a mixed team as "Western Cape Selection" with players from Peninsula Canoe Club.

In July they went to Belfast, Northern Ireland, for the World Junior Championships.

Camurin Abrahams and Dale Pretorius played in the national junior Under-18A team, Keeshia Lackay played in the national junior Under-18 ladies team, and Romano Lackay played in the national Under-16 team.

For this tournament, Camurin was selected team captain for the Under-18A team. Romano won with the U16 the Silver League in the Under-16 category, and was only 13 at the time of the tournament (and the youngest player of the squad).

All four received Federation colours for the participation at the World Junior Championships In Belfast.

In September, Camurin, Dale and Keeshia went to Johannesburg to play African Champs.

Camurin was selected for the RSA Under-21 national team, Dale played Under-21B, Keeshia played Under-21 ladies. Romano was invited but there was not sufficient funding for him.

Camurin also received Federation colours again for his participation in the RSA U21 National Team at African Champs.

“We are really impressed with the results achieved by the Maties Canoe Club’s development team, so much so that we will also provide coach Susanne with some interns to supplement her excellent work with her group of paddlers,” says Karen Swart, Maties Canoe Club sport manager.

The Maties Canoe Club’s development group of some 20 paddlers some as young as 10 years old attend up to five training sessions a week, under the supervision of coach Susanne, and compete in all local and national championships as far as funding allows them.