Why King Hank-ers for a ‘bony’ river

DEREK WILSNAGH

CAPE paddler Lance King has the pride of Western Cape canoeing riding on his broad young shoulders when the 50th edition of the Windhoek Berg River Marathon takes to the water at Market Bridge, Paarl, on Wednesday morning.

With the iconic four-day, 240km race from Paarl to Port Owen (formerly to Velddrif) firmly established as one of the toughest canoe races in the world, the fact that dominance of the event has slipped out of the grasp of Cape paddlers in the last decade or two has never sat well with local purists.

Though KwaZulu-Natal’s Hank McGregor is considered a local by Berg fans who watched him grow up on the river’s banks – while his father Lee McGregor dominated races here in the 1970s – no Cape paddler has won the event since Graeme Solomon gobsmacked spectators in 2001 with his sensational, record-smashing victory.

Solomon’s amazing 12hr 36min 44sec for that Berg, which finished at Velddrif, will stand for always as the race now finishes in Port Owen.

In fairness, three-time winner Michael Cheeseman (1997-99) was a Capey, but debatably based in Gauteng at that time.

Locals have been quietly placing their hope in current WP champ King, and the lad has not disappointed.

While McGregor hogged the headlines by winning the last six Berg races in succession to equal the feat of Gauteng’s Robbie Herreveld (1991-1996), and make himself the winningest paddler in Berg history, having also won the race in 2000, King has been quietly plotting McGregor’s downfall.

Not as brilliant as McGregor, not as versatile, fast or professionally prepared, King has one vital factor in his favour – he is a blue-blooded Berg specialist through and through.

River-wise and tenacious, King reminds one of five-time winner Stefan Hugo with his appetite for the long grind and an ability to slow-poison more talented rivals... on the Berg.

He has now twice played the bridesmaid role to McGregor and instead of being cowed, has buckled down to training harder, and wondering what is needed to beat the Durban genius.

Experts suggest that if the river was at a low level, McGregor would struggle to beat him. Local knowledge and an aptitude for long, sustained duels on a “bony” river, where tree blocks, narrow hyacinth-choked channels and ice-cold water make survival more a priority, somehow bring out the best in young King.

King admits that winning the Berg has always been his dream and that he decided to go really big this year in making that dream come true. “I’m really excited for this year’s Berg, it is going to be a massive occasion, being the 50th and with some top contenders going for that huge prize packet.

“It’s going to be tough and challenging. My preparation has been going great.”

King is a little coy as to how he can reverse two defeats inflicted by the Berg champion.

“Having combined the two critical essences of what it takes to win the Berg into my training will hopefully allow me to stand a better chance at placing myself in a winning position” is all he will allow.

One can only assume he means stamina and speed.

King is hoping for some assistance from the river.

“One of the most important factors that might affect racing is the river level. It hasn’t been raining nearly as much as the previous few years. But lower water levels will make for some exciting and interesting racing. I’m not fazed in any way if the river is to be low.

“I actually prefer it as it allows for some classic ‘old school’racing on the Berg, but even with the 20 cubic metres being released, the river will still be just as exciting and become a challenge in its entirety.”