Ready for the Berg
2010-07-08
EXTREMELY tough and not for the faint hearted. This is the best way to describe the four day Berg River Canoe Marathon that kicks off on Wednesday at 09:30 at the Paarl Canoe Club at the Market Street bridge. Also known as the Berg, this 227km challenge that comes to an end in Velddrif on Saturday 17 July, started in 1961 and has become the biggest canoeing event on the national canoeing calendar. It is sponsored by Windhoek Lager this year. The 29-year-old Paarl star Heinrich Schloms, a veteran of ten Bergs, has confirmed his entry. Schloms has been a key player in the evolution of the race for the overall title in recent years. “I’m all fired up and raring to go,” said Schloms. The second entry received at the race HQ came from Berg icon Giel van Deventer, also from Paarl, signalling his intentions of completing a record 41st Berg. Van Deventer and André Collins hold the record of 40 Bergs successfully completed. “Its been a topsy-turvy year so far, particularly with the distraction of the soccer, and paddlers have been a little slow off the mark,” said race administrator Laura van Heerden. “We are getting a lot of enquiries and questions, and are anticipating a deluge of last minute entries.” She added that the race was creating a novel “barn experience” for paddlers keen to savour the experience of the race through the Winelands and the Swartland to the West Coast. This involves contestants dropping their overnight possessions, wrapped in a plastic bag provided by the race organisers, at the start, from where they will be transported to brans at each overnight stop. “A bonfire, glass of red wine and warm barn will then await each paddler at the end of the day’s canoeing,” said van Heerden. Any questions relating to the above can be directed to the Race Secretary, Laura van Heerden on 084-700-2742 or admin@wpcanoe.org.za. For more information, visit www.windhoekberg.co.za
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