Some intrepid Strand paddlers headed to the 2024 Berg River Canoe Marathon, which finished on Saturday, just ahead of the massive storm front.
More than 100 paddlers started the race on Wednesday July 3, and only 81 could finish the gruelling event, on Saturday July 6.
The race was won by Thonas Lovemore, in a time of 18:39:00, and he was followed in a close second position by Robbie Herreveld.
Robbie was a mere 2:41 behind Thomas. Robbie hasalso previously won the race six times, and a second place for a 51-year-old is really an amazing achievement.
Mark Hill finished in 24th position, in a time of 21:28:24, and Daantjie Malan took 43rd position, in a time of 24:7:58.
Andries Smit finished in 47th position in 25:16:50, and Adie de Kock took 50th, in a time of 25:39:08.
Barry Muller finished in 63rd position, in 28:29:12. Barry is also this year’s winner of the Peninsula Iron Man competition.
For this competition he had to do the Cape Town Cycle Tour of 109 km, the Two Oceans Ultra Marathon of 56km and the Berg River Canoe Marathon in the same year.
Jannie Malherbe, at the age of 82, became the second person to finish 51 Berg River Marathons, in a finish time of 33:32:40.
Only Giel van Deventer, who tragically passed away last year , has done the race 51 times.
Another remarkable achievement on this year’s Berg River Marathon was Tayla Isaacs from Stellenbosch University, who finished 3rd overall in the women’s category in overall 38th place, in a time of 23:38:46.
She was also the second woman in the under-23 age category.
This year’s Berg was difficult due to very low water levels and cold and rainy conditions on the first day, and a very technical difficult second day with many tree-blocks.
The third day, due to the distance of 74km, is always difficult, and the last day had some headwind on the final stretch.
