Edwin de Nijs, race organiser, looks back with great pride, with over hundred athletes from eleven different countries having started in the different classes. The goal of the organisation, to set up a large international race interesting for both top athletes and regular paddlers, was definitely achieved.
The latest set of International Canoe Federation rules for marathon racing have been published. As we predicted back in November, there have been a number of changes following experiences gained at major marathon events in the past 12-18 months.
Stuart West and Dan Seaford took first place in last weekend’s Devizes to Westminster Canoe Race, finishing the 125 mile epic in 16 hours 44 minutes, more than an hour and ten minutes outside the senior mens’ doubles record. The Reading and Worcester duo battled to meet a tough challenge from three-time consecutive winners Richard Hendron and James King of Richmond/Army.
In less than a month the 41st Amsterdam Waterland Marathon will take place. On the 20th of April we will see a diverse group of world class athletes taking on the challenge of beating each other and the track record set by Manuel Busto Fernandez, who has won the Waterland marathon twice.
The final day of The Unlimited Dusi canoe marathon saw both heroics and heartbreak for the leading men as Lance Kime raced his way to his maiden victory in the three day journey from Pietermaritzburg to Durban whilst the winner of both the first and second stages, Sbonelo Zondi, watched his fairytale go up in smoke as he had to settle for third.
Sbonelo Zondi's fairytale continued on the second day of The Unlimited Dusi Canoe Marathon 2013 as he bagged a second stage win, and takes a one minute lead into the final stage after a day that saw the leaderboard undergo a dramatic shake-up.
The opening day of the 2013 The Unlimited Dusi Canoe Marathon was set alight by the youth in one of the race’s most competitive fields ever as both Sbonelo Zondi and Robyn Kime blazed their way to new stage records, giving themselves the perfect platform to build on over the next two stages of the three day affair.
Robyn Kime smashed the first day record and blitzed her nearest challengers on the opening day of The Unlimited Dusi Canoe Marathon, contested between the Natal Canoe Club at Camps Drift and Dusi Bridge, over a distance of 42 kilometers. She will take a lead of close to 14 minutes over Abby Adie into day two.
Just a stone-throw over the English Channel the 18th International Regatta took place in the river estuary town of Saint-Laurent Blangy, Pas de Calais, France.
An action packed weekend on the mighty Umzimkulu River for the 20th edition of the N3TC Drak Challenge kicked off the first event in the ICF Classic Series.
Néstor Pinta and Martín Mozzicafredo became legends at Río Negro winning their 12th title together (13th in total for each). The final stage was held at Viedma on a circuit of four laps between the city's bridges, with eight portages along the 30 km course, crowded with spectators on a great canoeing day.