Provincial Unions
The small Central Districts incorporates the old Free State Canoe Union, as well as clubs in the Northern Cape and North West provinces. It is based in Bloemfontein and provides a domestic season aimed at training for the major LD races across the country.
It’s premier event is the Orange River Marathon, which is a blend of long expanses of flat water and a few massive rapids. This two-day stage race stretching over 73km covers one of the most beautiful stretch of water our country has to offer.
The Orange Descent will not only showcase our exiting river and the majestic scenery but it will also expose you to the warm and heartily Northern Cape hospitality.
The Orange Descent will be the official CSA canoe marathon in the CDCU union and will be under the management of the CDCU and Upington Canoe Club.
Union Contact:
Waldo van der Linde
072 184 9090
info@stroke2max.com
AFFILIATED CLUBS:
Bloemfontein
Kimberley
Welkom
Bethelem/Maluti
Potchefstroom
Vereeniging.
The Eastern Cape Canoe Club was formed in 1963 by Norman Dyer and Tony Oshery, and the official provincial union followed in 1977 under chairman Eldon Slabbert, with his son Stanford as secretary.
The region’s premier events are the annual Fish River Marathon, ending in the Karoo town of Cradock, and the Pete Marlin Surfski weekend.
The Fish features 80 km of fast flowing irrigation water racing through willow trees, big rapids (like Keith’s Flyover), and several testing weirs.
The Pete Marlin has grown to be one of the must-do events on the ocean racing calendar with paddlers travelling from all over the country to enjoy some typical East London hospitality and downwind racing.
OFFICE BEARERS
Chairman: Jacques van Rooyen – 079 697 6887
Vice Chairman: Charl van Wyk – 083 447 1500
Administrator: Marie Louw – 076 751 4718
Treasurer: Marie Louw – 076 751 4718
Safety Officer: Jacques van Rooyen – 079 697 6887
Executive Member: Gary Arkinson – 082 859 3898
Executive Member: Gavin McNish – 082 320 2611
Executive Member: Jason Goedhals – 083 415 8324
Disciplines:
Canoe Polo: Jamie Truby – 060 493 7199
Canoe Sprint: Duncan Boyd – 083 763 8723
Marathon: Andre Kruger – 073 216 4323
Surfski: Charl van Wyk – 083 447 1 500
SUP: Jethro Johnson – 084 550 5499
AFFILIATED CLUBS:
Border Canoe Club,
Blue Water Canoe Club,
Fish River Canoe Club,
Knysna Canoe Club,
Outeniqua Canoe Club,
Wild Duck Kayak Club,
Plett Paddling Club,
Rhodes University Canoe Club,
St. Francis Paddling Club,
Kowie Paddling Club
The Gauteng Canoe Union is the second largest in terms of registered paddlers, and hosts a thriving long distance (LD) season, much of which is based on the many excellent training dams in the greater Gauteng area. In 2002, Gauteng and Northern Gauteng merged to form a single Union, known as the Gauteng Canoe Union.
OFFICE BEARERS
Chairman: Chad Andrews – chairman@gcu.co.za
Vice-Chairman: Raymond Rorich – raymond.rorich@gmail.com
Treasurer: Bryan Slater – scatter@iafrica.com
Safety Officer: Peter Geach – petergeach14@gmail.com
Administrator: Rene Andrews – info@gcu.co.za
Development Officer: Loveday Zondi – zondiloveday66@gmail.com
Race Administrator: Elandrie Zietsman – elandriezietsman@gmail.com
Media: Jennie Dallas – jenniedallas23@gmail.com
Athelete Representativer: Esti Olivier – esti3233@gmail.com
Convenors
Marathon: Rob Crighton – robcrichton@gmail.com
Sprints: Vacant
School League: Nichole Wilson – rattynw@gmail.com
Surfski: Gary Ralph – gralph@iafrica.com
Canoe Polo: Emile van Heerden – emile@gmail.com
Slalom: Niel Burger – niel.fila.burger@gmail.com
GCU Clubs
Academy Canoe Club (Roodeplaat Dam, Pretoria)
Centurion Canoe Club (Rietvlei Dam, Irene)
Crocodile Canoe Club (Virtual Club)
Dabulamanzi Canoe Club (Emmarentia Dam, Johannesburg)
Ekurhuleni Canoe Club (Homestead Dam, Benoni)
Florida Lake Canoe Club (Florida Lake, Roodepoort)
Johannesburg Canoe Clug (Wemmerpan, Johannesburg South)
Likkewaan Canoe Club (Vaal River, Parys)
Lowveld Canoe Club (Nelspruit, Mpumalanga)
Northwest University Canoe Club (Potchefstroom)
Pretoria Canoe Club (Roodeplaat Dam, Pretoria)
Sason Canoe Club (Secunda, Mpumalanga)
Soweto Canoe Club (Orlando Dam, Soweto)
Tuks Canoe Club (University of Pretoria)
Victoria Lake Canoe Club (Germiston Lake)
Watuni Canoe Club (Vaal River, Vanderbijlpark
The KwaZulu-Natal Canoe Union, or KNCU, is the biggest province in terms of number of registered paddlers with a big river marathon paddling community.
The province has always been one of the major canoeing provinces in South Africa with some of the most popular races, including the Dusi, Umkomaas, and Drak Challenge two- or three-day races, as well as many more one-day events.
There is also a very strong ocean racing or surfski racing community as well as sprint and flatwater marathon events. The province has a history of slalom & wild water canoeing and a strong canoe polo structure.
The Union was formed after the inaugural Dusi marathon in 1951, and over the years has seen the likes of Ernie Pearce, Charlie Mason, Fox Ledeboer, Paul Chalupsky, Robbie Stewart, Geoff Dyer, Des Park, Mark Conway, Ivan Levinson, Hugh Cocksedge, Paul Zimmerman, Niel Tupper, Kevin Trodd, Mark Lynn and Tim Cornish as chair of the Union.
Many of the development initiatives are based along the Pietermaritzburg to Durban corridor. The Nagle Dam project, founded by the late Robert Lembethe is still active, and there are also thriving initiatives at Dusi Bridge, Mkhambathini, Thousand Hills Canoe Club, Inanda Dam, Shongweni Dam and Siyaphambili on the South Coast.
The Union also has a strong schools program. This is administered by the Schools Committee and consists of an annual series of events, offering an introduction to the different disciplines of canoeing as well as both individual and inter-school competitions.
OFFICE BEARERS:
CHAIRMAN: Duncan May – duncan@mrbm.co.za, 083 779 2284
FINANCIAL OFFICER: Walter Ulrich – kncusec@sai.co.za
ADMINISTRATION: TBC
DEVELOPMENT CO-ORDINATOR & ADMINISTRATOR:
Thulani Mbanjwa – mikembanjwa@gmail.com Cell: 078 103 5196
Candy Mavundla – kncudev@sai.co.za
SAFETY OFFICER: Jacques Le Roux
DISCIPLINE REPRESENTATIVES:
Marathons: Richard Lowe – Flat Water & Stuart Clifton – River
Sprints: Swe Ndlovu
Canoe Polo: Lorna Oliver
Surfski: Claudio Manfron
Schools: Kyle Friedenstein
The Western Cape Canoe Union has always been a dominant force in the South African canoeing scene with a strong culture of river racing, ocean racing and sprinting.
The union hosts four major events each season:
• The Freedom Paddle surf ski race, held on the 27th of April around Robben Island to celebrate Freedom Day;
• The tough four-day Berg River K1 Marathon from Paarl to Velddrif in July
• The Breede River Marathon in late winter / early spring between Robertson and Swellendam
• The Cape Point Challenge, is a 50+ kilometer paddle starting at Witsands on the Atlantic Coast, rounding the iconic Cape Point and finishing at Fish Hoek beach.
Leading up to these events, the WCCU, through the clubs in the region, host a number of 1-day races on sections of the Berg and Breede Rivers that make up the marathon races. Prior to the river racing season, the union hosts sprint events for all categories.
During the summer months there is a vibrant series of surf ski races and the union has a thriving development program.
OFFICE BEARERS:
Chairman: Peter van der Merwe – peter@van-der-merwe.co.za
Vice Chairman: Robin Tindal – robmobius@gmail.com
Treasurer: Rob Hart – prhart@iafrica.com
Executive Secretary: Bianca Beavitt – biancabeavitt@gmail.com
Administrative secretary: Rene Boehm – reneboehm@mweb.co.za
Safety Officer: Crispin Thompson – crispin@crispinthompson.co.za
Media Liaison: Lisa Scott – lisa@lisascott.co.za
Development Coordinator: Wayne August – wayneaugustcoaching@gmail.com
Lady Rep: Bianca Beavitt – biancabeavitt@gmail.com
DSO: Bianca Beavitt – biancabeavitt@gmail.com
Discipline Representatives:
Marathon Flat Water: Peter Cole – orkatraining@gmail.com
Marathon Rivers: Francois Du Toit – ajfdutoit@gmail.com
Sprints / Coaching: Shaun Rubenstein – shaunruby@gmail.com, 082 735 3814
Canoe Polo: Terrence Ward – terrence@paddleexperience.co.za
Surfski: Shanty Stewart – stewartshanti@gmail.com
