Hansa Fish 2011
From Jennie: WELL DONE to all Gautengers who finished the enjoyable Hansa Fish 2011 marathon - such a lovely river with awesome rapids and wave trains, and challenging obstacles which tested the abilities of even the top of South African paddlers including the camouflaged willow branch, Keith's, Soutpans, Cradock Weir, Knutsford and a few others!!
While many of these scary challenges can be portaged by less experienced paddlers leaving numerous fun rapids inbetween to enjoy it is wonderful having them there to attract the stronger more confident paddlers who need the excitement and adrenaline.
A long drive there and somehow always a longer drive back, enticing fragrant portaloos, the drone of grinding for boat repairs, party atmosphere, long queues, slow service, fabulous music, welcome Karoo sunshine and fabulous water gave us all some wonderful memories to keep us going until next year!
Thank goodness for Jacques Theron and Piers Cruickshanks (DABS) for their 5th position overall keeping the Gautengers in the top bunch while winning the Sub Vet category in 4:50 against the winning time of 4:40 which winning boat included our very own Grant van der Walt from Emmarentia. We breed 'em good in Gauteng!
With Michael Mbanjwa being the 2nd Gauteng finisher (SOW) in 5:00 with partner from Natal, the third finishing Gauteng boat brought in Michael Stewart and Murray Burgess (ERK/DAB) in 5:02.
Gavin Shuter (DABS) did not disappoint our Gauteng team ensuring an Under 18 podium position of first place finishing in 5:04 with Natal partner as K2 16, followed closely by Gavin Payne (ERK) with his KZN partner who finished next in 5:05.
To wrap up the Gautengers in the top 20 was Gregory Smith with cousin Roland Smith - the boys from the South (VLC members) finishing as K2 19 in 5:08.
But there were numerous podium positions for the Gautengers and we should mention a few!
Notably good category finishes include Rory Attridge and Malcolm Stothard (DABS) who were the first Master boat in 5:16, K2 27, and Theo Smit with Walter Fisher (CEN) as K2 28 in 5:17 winning the top Veteran position. There was a Gauteng paddler in the top finishing K3 with the Chalupsky's - Andy Leith (Dabs) finishing as second sub Masters in 5:16 as well!
Alex Roberts won the K1 race since his partner dropped out due to illness finishing as 49th boat overall in 5:28 (DABS), and John Barrow/Kevin Middleton (DABS) finished as third Sub Masters in 5:31, K2 53.
Jen Hodson, (DABS) paddling with KZN Tiffany Kruger finished as the second lady winner in K265 and 5:36 while Robert Crighton / Amy Witherden (DABS) finished as the second Mixed Double team, K2 68 in 5:37. Nicolas Oldert (DABS) finished in 5:40, K2 79 with Colin Simpkins (KZN) as the third Master finishing boat.
Young Morgan Ziervogel finished with partner Grant van der Merwe (JCC) as the third mixed double K2 95, in 5:45, while Dean Burscough and Harald Wattrus (DABS) were the top finishing Sub Grand masters in 5:53, K2 116.
Kerry Shuter (DABS) finished as the first Under 16 girls team with partner from Epworth, 7th overall in the woman's category and broke her own record by 6 minutes having set it by breaking it last year with 15 minutes - wrapping up in 5:58 K2 140.
The Great Grand masters proved their experience counts too with John Rowan and Bill Sears (ERK/LOW) finishing in the third podium position, K2 426 and 7:12!
Fluit Fluit my storie is uit - I'm getting boggle eyed trying to locate important notable finishes in the pages and pages of results - 601 K2 finishers and 60 K1's - makes a lot of results - and everybody who finished earns a clap on the back! what a pity it's a long wait to next year October to enjoy this fun event again!
Jennie Dallas
For: Gauteng PR
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