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Schloms and
King snatch dramatic Hansa Breede
title
Swellendam - Lance King and Heinrich Schloms snatched victory in
the Hansa Breede marathon with an controversial tactical move just
a few hundred metres from the finish using a sneak channel they had
discovered the day before to outsmart the other three crews in the
tussle for the crown.
Ant Stott and Graham Solomon and the duo of Pierre-Andre Rabie and
Andy Birkett had been the dominant forces in the four-boat vanguard
that hurtled down the Breede swollen by the arrival of the water
that had teased the bear record field with its late arrival.
As the lead headed into the final turn to the finish at the Kambati
resort, King and Schloms swung into the small channel that spirited
them into the lead and allowed them to pin back their ears and
claim the title from Edgar Boehm and Ali Glass who had seen King
and Schloms veer into the channel and followed.
Pre-race favourites Stott and Solomon had to reluctantly settle for
the minor placings after being outsmarted by the homework King and
Schloms had done after they had completed the first stage.
"It was a real hassle but we came down to the finish after we had
done day one and checked out all the channels really carefully,
because so often the title is decided in the channels right at the
finish," said King. "Turns out it was well worth the hassle!" he
added.
he win is a significant one for both paddlers. It is a first major
title for Schloms, who for eight years has been the bridesmaid of
the Breede with a string of second placings. "At last! A big one to
my name," he said at the finish.
For King, who has won this title once before, the victory was
particularly sweet as it ends his Cape winter season on a high
after his challenge in the four-day Berg was fraught with
disasters. "Looks like I have managed to get rid of my bad
karma,"
he said.
For Stott and Solomon, who were using the outing as a hard training
session for the world marathon championships in Singapore in
October the final result was a bittersweet one.
"What happened out there was totally unsportsmanlike and no way to
win a race," said Solomon, who explained that King had yelled at
the bunch to take the left challenge with such urgency that the
front two had followed his directions, before King peeled off into
the right hand channel that ultimately set up their victory.
Fish Hoek junior lifesavers Craig Flanagan and Dom Notten excelled
to tale the junior title with a solid top ten showing overall,
while the fascinating mixed doubles race also fell to members from
the same club better known for their surfski and lifesaving
abilities.
International surfski Tom Schilperoort and young Samantha Murray
spent the entire 73km, two-day race locked in a ferocious tussle
with Simon van Gysen and Amy Hare. They were locked together as
they took the final turn into the finish setting the stage for a
thrilling dice to the line which Schilperoort and Murray took by
10cm.
"The racing was unbelievable," said Schilperoort. "It was Samantha
(Murray)'s first major river race and her first Breede. She paddled
incredibly," said Schilperoort of his Fish Hoek clubmate.
Ian Trautmann and Natascha Bracele took the final place on the
mixed doubles podium after overtaking Chris de Waal and Lisa Scott
on the final stage.
The women's title fell to the KZN sisters Abby and Alex Adie, who
started the day with a five minute penalty for setting of on the
first stage in A batch instead of the seeded women's B batch. On
the second stage the siblings stretched their lead over the
storming under 16 schoolgirls Kirsten Flanagan and Jodi Cleworth.
The first female crew across the line was Alexa Cole and Jackie
Barnes in an excellent 17th overall. They had elected to forego
their rights in the women's race but insisting on being seeded in
the men's
More information and results are available at
www.breedemarathon.org
SUMMARY OF RESULTS
STAGE TWO HANSA BREEDE RIVER CANOE MARATHON
1.Lance King/Heinrich Schloms 4:11.15
2.Alasdair Glass/Edgar Boehm 4:11.16
3.Ant Stott/Graeme Solomon 4:11.35
4.Pierre-Andre Rabie/Andy Birkett 4:11.37
5.Steve Farrell/Nick Burden 4:23.21
6.Stu McLaren/Lance Kime 4:23.23
7.Trentle Lamble/Andrew Birkett 4:27.21
8.Diaan du Toit/Hennie du Plooy 4:33.04
9.Scott Johnson/Stuart Laing 4:33.30
10.Tom Schilperoort/Samantha Murray 4:33.31 (1st MD)
WOMEN
1.Abby Adie/Alex Adie 4:50.07
2.Kirsten Flanagan/Jodi Cleworth 4:52.19
3.Kim Burgman/Angie Gafney
4.Robyn Henderson/Jean Wilson
5.Kerry Louw/Kirsten Wessels
MIXED DOUBLES
1.Tom Schilperoort/Samantha Murray 4:33.31
2.Simon van Gysen/Amy Hare 4:33.31
3.Ian Trautmann/Natascha Bracale 4:44.23
4.Chris de Waal/Lisa Scott 4:45.28
5.Louw van Riet/Kirsten Penderis 4:53.37
JUNIORS
1.Craig Flanagan/Dominic Notten 2:27.21
2.Luke Stowman/Divino Pietersen 2:33.20
3.Michael Farringer/Daniel Louis Buys U16 2:35.08
4.Kenny Rice/Nicholas Notten U16 2:36.34
5.Danie Botes/Michael Pretorius 2:40.21
More information can be found at
www.breederivermarathon.org.za
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