Serving as a pre-Dusi training and seeding race, the Elands 3338 Memorial Race once again provided non-stop rapids despite low water levels, on Saturday.
It was the ninth annual race, in memory of Leatitia Scheepers who drowned during a practice run in 2009.

Her race number was 3338. 
The race thrilled paddlers with its fast downhill gradients and runway rapids into T-junction corners. Although the water level was not as high as anticipated with promised rains not materialising, it was manageable.
Gustav Smook Jr was the first u/18 to finish and took fifth place overall. He did so in a time of in one hour and 56 minutes. Being a local, he used his advantage and it certainly bore fruit.
Sonja Bohnsack (Dabulamanzi CC) tore through the water to become the first woman to finish in 02:19. She was also the first master K1 (single paddler) finisher and took 13th overall.
Michelle Haskins (Dabulamanzi CC) finished second in the women’s race and 12th overall, in a time of 03:04.

Hanli Bezuidenhout, who is relatively new to river racing, finished in 3:09, taking third place. She was the 37th canoe to cross the finish line and took seventh in her age group (sub-master).
Centurion-based Richard van Zyl and Erichia Pretorius were the first mixed double to finish and took 26th overall, and were the fifth K2 (doubles) to finish, in a time of 02:32.

The top three spots overall belonged to Loveday Zondi, local paddler Mark Smith and Richard Cele, who finished in 1:45:00, 1:48:06, and 1:48:13, respectively.
Smith was the first sub-veteran to finish.  Nkosi Mzolo took fourth place in a time of 01:55.
Wihan Venter, also a local, was the first sub-master to cross the finish line, and did so in a time of 02:04 (K1).
Sub-masters Pierre van der Merwe and Gustav Radloff (K2) were the first in their age group to cross the finish line.
Local paddler Craig Lewis was the first veteran finisher in 2:12 and the 8th K1 overall. Jonathan Adams from UCT was the first u/23 finisher in 02:18, and ninth K1.
Theo Smith and Ronald Pronk (CEN) were the second K2 finishers, as well as first sub-grandmasters in 2:20, while the first K1 sub-master finisher was Shane Gouldie (CEN) in 02:24.
Frank Dabrowski won the great-grandmaster category and finished 25th overall. Rooie Robbertse was the first grandmaster K1 in 3:09 (CEN).
“This is an enormous learning curve of technical experience and many war stories to tell around the braai fire,” said Jennie Dallas a spokesman for the event.

Read about last year’s race: Elands Memorial Race rises to higher levels