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The 31st edition of the Hansa Fish Canoe Marathon in Cradock on Friday, 5 and Saturday, 6 October will extend the race’s run as the most popular event to host the national river marathon championships title decider.
The event this year will host the SA K1 river championships, the 18th time in 28-years since the first national river champs was awarded to the race in 1984 that Canoeing South Africa has decided that the Hansa Fish is the best and fairest event to host the prestigious national river title decider.
For several years the race has been the most popular choice for paddlers, often eclipsing The Unlimited Dusi for entries, and drawing its participants equally from the Cape, Eastern Cape, Gauteng and KwaZulu-Natal, with Cradock being equidistant almost to the kilometre between Cape Town, Johannesburg and Durban.
The success of the Hansa Fish lies in a unique blend of guaranteed water releases, exciting rapids and weirs on the river, warm Klein Karoo hospitality and the festive vibe off the water.
On the water the country’s top marathoners have committed to being on the start line, with several of the big guns, including world champ Hank McGregor and four times Hansa Fish K1 champion Len Jenkins jetting back from the marathon worlds in Rome two weeks before the race. Eastern Cape canoeing supporters are also excited about the prospect of Plett ‘Golden Girl’ Michéle Eray making her return to the race after being laid low last year by a crippling wrist injury.
This year the Hansa Fish will wrap up with another of its hugely popular music concerts at the Sports Complex in Cradock, featuring Ashtray Electric and Lonehill Estate on the Friday night and chart-toppers GoodLuck and Pascal & Pearce on the Saturday night.
“The Hansa Fish is the country’s premier canoe marathon,” said Riaan van Jaarsveld, SA Breweries Events Manager in the Eastern Cape. “More than that it has all the special ingredients that make it a truly unique ‘total experience’ where the visitors to Cradock can enjoy the warmth of the local hospitality, race hard, and really enjoy themselves off the water,” he added.
The event further enjoys massive support from university students and under 23 paddlers, who enthusiastically support the annual themed competition, offering a prize of the paddlers’ weight in Hansa Pilsener for the crew adjudged to be’ best dressed’ to this year’s theme, ‘Pimp Me Viking’.
