Dabulamanzi Canoe Club paddlers fish out the medals at the ICF World Marathon Championships in Metkovic, Croatia
Following their participation in the International Canoe Federation (ICF) World Marathon Championships paddlers brought home the medals.
A large group of Dabulamanzi Canoe Club (Dabs) paddlers recently participated at the International Canoe Federation (ICF) World Marathon Championships which took place in Metkovic, Croatia.
The paddlers thoroughly enjoyed their participation and achieved numerous successes, especially in the ‘masters’ age category (over 50-year age group). The masters event got off to a perfect start with one of South Africa’s international stars from the 1980s, Graham Monteith, convincingly winning the opening race of the regatta. Monteith then partnered with Theo Smit claiming the bronze in the K1 men’s 65–69 age group masters event, while other gold medal winners in the doubles (K2) category were Nigel Briggs and Peter O’Connor (K2 men’s 70–74 years) and Bradley Fisher and Gustav Radloff (K2 men’s 55–59).
The men’s bronze medal winners included Mark Garden and Matthew Ballenden (K2 men’s 45–49), and Alex Roberts, partnered with Hein van Rooyen, who achieved silver (K2 men’s 40–44), along with Michael-John Robb in K1 (single kayak), while Robb and Robert Crichton achieved gold medals (K2 men’s 35–39).
Also read: Dabs paddlers take honours in the Florida Lake Canoe Club Marathon Race
Annually, paddlers gather to compete at local provincial selections races, which lead to annual national trial events, where teams are selected to represent the country at international events, in various disciplines, including sprints (short fast Olympic type races) and marathons (long distance fast races, which include portages, where paddlers display their ability to carry their boat and run a short distance, before putting it back in the water and resuming to paddling).
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