Record prizemoney and a field of international paddlers from across Africa have added to the anticipation ahead of the weekend’s TCTA SA slalom canoeing championships, to be held on the Ash river outside Clarens in the Free State.
For the first time, the national title decider has attracted competitors from African countries, where the Olympic discipline of slalom racing is gradually gathering momentum, with entries confirmed from Swaziland, Kenya and Somalia.
Add to that the attendance of the International Canoe Federation’s slalom chairperson Jean Michel Prono, and top French slalom coach Jean Jerome Perrin, and the event has more lustre than it has enjoyed in many years.
Cameron McIntosh will be under pressure to defend his national K1 title, from the steadily improving talent of junior champion Michael Watson, and seasoned pros like Guy Collyer and Barcelona Olympian Alick Rennie, and Lembethe canoe club star Vela Dube.
The C1 class promises to be just as exciting, where the established pace-setter Master Cele will be put under pressure by the former C2 paddler Lindelani Ngidi.
There is also a strong women’s field entered, where the consistent performers Rosie Gwala and Emily Ngidi will be racing against established marathon performers Kirsten Oliver and Kate Cornish.
Perrin has been involved in a week-long training camp for junior paddlers at Wagendrift dam outside Escourt, where he has been putting the youngsters through their paces on the slalom course at Black Rock.
Both the visiting officials will be involved in ensuring that the national championships on Saturday are run to international standards, and assessing the prospect of future internationals in South Africa.
The weekend-long paddling festival starts with a rodeo under floodlights on Friday, where top local rodeo stars Ross O’Donaghue and Graeme Anderson will be competing.
Then slalom event gets under way on Saturday with heats and semi-finals, with the finals getting under way at 1pm.
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