Top paddlers set to battle it out at SA Sprint Canoe Champs

The fastest paddlers in South Africa are set to showcase their speed and endurance over three action-packed days at the South African Sprint Canoeing Championships, taking place this weekend at Roodeplaat Dam in Gauteng.

This prestigious regatta marks the first national championship under the newly rebranded PaddleSport SA federation and signals the start of a new Olympic cycle following the thrilling events of Paris 2024.

Among the top contenders is 25-year-old Hamish Lovemore, who made waves in the international canoeing scene last year by winning the B final in the Olympic 1 000m K1 event. Lovemore's rapid ascent from river racing and marathon disciplines to competing among the world's best sprinters was unexpected, yet his performance placed him within the top ten at the Olympic regatta.

With the Los Angeles 2028 Olympics on the horizon, the South African paddling community is eager to see if a dedicated four-year sprinting programme can propel him to a podium finish.

Lovemore is widely expected to dominate the K1 events, with his Olympic partner Andy Birkett and KZN's Kyle Friedenstein poised as his closest challengers for the remaining podium spots.

The Lovemore-Birkett duo will also revive their successful Olympic partnership in the K2 events, where they are the favourites to secure gold. Their stiffest competition in the doubles races is likely to come from Mike Arthur and Shaun Rubenstein, the pair they defeated in the Paris qualification trials.

In the women’s category, the Paris 2024 crew of Esti Olivier and Tiffany Koch are strong contenders for multiple gold medals. However, fresh pairings could shake up the competition. World surfski champion Kira Bester will team up with fellow U23 ocean racing talent Jade Wilson, while the promising young duo of Georgia Singe and Saskia Hockly, both decorated in marathon and surfski world championships, will look to make their mark.

Olivier is expected to lead the charge in the K1 women’s races as she embarks on her journey toward the Los Angeles Olympics. However, she will face stiff competition from the likes of Alexa Godden, Koch, Bester, Wilson, Hockly, and Singe across the various distances.

The championships will feature a comprehensive schedule of events over 200m, 500m, 1,000m, and 5,000m, with categories ranging from U8 juniors to masters over 35. With three days of top-tier racing lined up, spectators can anticipate a thrilling showcase of South Africa’s finest sprint canoeing talent from Friday through Sunday. 

IOL Sport