Peninsula Canoe Club paddlers shine on world stage
Peninsula Canoe Club's Kira Bester running up the beach at Westbrook, at the ICF canoe ocean racing world championships, in Durban, over the weekend.
Image: @Sport South Africa
Own Correspondent
Peninsula Canoe Club’s paddling stars shone on the world stage at ICF Canoe Ocean Racing World Championships, in Durban, over the weekend. In a field stacked with the best of the best, the PCC paddlers showed their class, competing against more than 500 athletes from more than 30 countries.
In keeping with the ethos of ocean racing, having predominantly downwind races and keeping the best conditions of the three-day race window for singles meant that the S2 (doubles) race took place on Saturday, and the S1 singles race took place on Sunday
The Durban coastline turned it on for the biggest field of surfski paddlers at an event, and the size of the waves at Amanzimtoti and the shore break at Westbrook tested the skills of all and will be spoken about for years to come.
On Saturday, South Africa took line honours in the Open, the under-23, and the junior (under-18) mixed doubles events.
Peninsula Canoe Club's Holly Smith and Heath Clarke running up the beach to the finish at Amanzimtoti, during the weekend's ICF Canoe Ocean Racing World Championships, in Durban
Image: @Sport South Africa
The SA team of Matthew Fenn (East London) and Saskia Hockly (Durban) won gold in the Open category.
Peninsula Canoe Club’s Holly Smith and Heath Clarke claimed the gold medal in the under-23 category, and Smith’s brother, Ryley Smith, also from PCC, with his partner Ellen Strydom (from East London) claimed the junior title.
Peninsula Canoe Club’s Kira Bester claimed the women’s world title, crossing the line ahead of Danielle Richards from New Zealand, in a thrilling finish at Westbrook.
Holly Smith and Heath Clarke all smiles after claiming the gold medal in the under-23 category, at the ICF Canoe Ocean Racing World Championships, in Durban.
Image: @Sport South Africa
Melanie van Niekerk came fifth in the Open category. PCC’s under-23 women dominated their category with Georgia Singe coming in second, Jade Wilson third, and Holly Smith fifth.
PCC juniors Isabella Strydom and Alayah Krogscheepers finished fifth and sixth in the under-18 category. Nick Notten was the first South African home in the men’s race — he was second in the Open category, followed by club mates Uli Hart, third, Joshua Fenn fourth, and Dominic Notten in 10th.
Peninsula Canoe Club’s Kira Bester claimed the women’s world title, crossing the line ahead of Danielle Richards from NZ, in a thrilling finish at Westbrook.
Image: @Sport South Africa
In the Men’s under-23 category, Peninsula’s Matthew Coetzer was second with club mates Dylan Farrell and Luke Jean le Roux coming in seventh and eighth, respectively.
Peninsula Canoe Club members also dominated the junior men’s category with Sam Mocke taking gold and Ryley Smith, Cody Stallard, and Jared Shrimpton finishing fifth, sixth, and tenth, respectively
Ellen Strydom (East London) and Peninsula Canoe Club's Ryley Smith claimed the junior title, at the ICF Canoe Ocean Racing World Championships, in Durban.
Image: @Sport South Africa