The Berg & Vlei classic – a spectacular weekend-long SUP competition which turned into a mini-reunion!

The Berg and Vlei Classic spanned two days, showcasing Cape Town’s vibrant Stand-Up Paddle (SUP) community with a mix of surf and flatwater competitions. Day one kicked off with an exciting SUP Surf competition at Muizenberg, a popular SUP surf spot. On day two, the action moved to the flatwater venue for a series of races. The event’s name, “Berg and Vlei,” reflects these two iconic locations, both cherished by Cape Town’s SUP paddlers. This year’s Classic brought together competitors and fans for an unforgettable celebration of SUP sports across diverse settings.

In attendance were some paddlers from bygone days who came out of their self-imposed exile to churn up some serious wave riding scores, just as if they’d always been in the business. This was especially noticeable in the SURF OPEN MEN’s division, where we had some champs from previous years competing against each other: Henco Scholtz (SA SUP Team 2018), Dylan Frick (SA SUP Team from 2013-2019), Tom King (SA SUP Team 2015-2023), Gary van Rooyen (SA SUP Team 2017, 2021) and Jethro Johnson (SA SUP Team 2023). It was a real feast of SUP surf on display! The judges were lapping it all up, saying “This is what we want to see… it’s ticking all the boxes!”

Rarely does a weekend competition have predictable weather – but this time, the weather could not have been better on both competition days!

Sunday rolled in as a dazzling day on the Zandvlei canals and the paddlers warmed up with the ladies and gents’  technical races. After a short break,they undertook a variety of longer distances ranging from 5km, 10km or even the brave 15km route for those looking to qualify for the ISA World champs later in the year. 

Two local Prone athletes – also previous achievers, joined in the mix for a chance to earn some points towards ISA world champs team qualifications. As can be seen by the images to follow, it was better to not get in their way!

Our sponsors, Olympic and Race food – were more than generous with incredible gifts of apparel and edibles for every spot in the rankings.

In addition we held a late handover of the SUPSA President’s award. This floating trophy was awarded earlier in the year to our SUP athlete Jethro Johnson for his contribution towards the growth of SUP in his hometown in the Eastern Cape.

Should you wish to enquire about getting involved in this sport or joining our events, please contact us at supsasecretary@gmail.com.

An old favourite was revived this year, with the return of SUP racing to the Century City Sports Festival –  a weekend full of active and competitive fun in all sporting disciplines.

During the SUP DASH event, we also held a “learn to SUP” programme.

The race results are detailed in the table below:

Should you wish to enquire about getting involved in this sport or joining our events, please contact us at supsasecretary@gmail.com.

Race report by Faz Perin, 10km SUP paddler….

This year’s entry to the event was seamless!

The West Coast Canoe Club kept us up to date via their Facebook page with all the relevant info and routes, and the registration on the morning was quick and efficient.

The weather was  great for the event – sunny with a cool breeze.  It ensured a good workout, paddling against the wind and tide simultaneously, and the breeze was a great relief.

The new course for the 10km race this year was the best one so far, and the wind conditions allowed us the opportunity to explore the river on both sides of the bridge.

As always, the “West Coast Gees” that comes with this race is phenomenal! Paddling with so many contestants all enjoying the water and the sport, is a sweet satisfaction that brings happiness. The support from fellow paddlers on the water, as well as residents in the bay, is heart warming and much appreciated.

The prize giving is always good fun with loads of incredible prizes with Appliance City as the main sponsor for the lucky draw.

This year I was the lucky winner of a beaut of a steam iron. Now, I just need to teach my my kids how to use it!

The results for all paddlers are in the images below:

Thanks to the SUPSA organisers, Etienne Laubscher from WCCC, Oscar Chalupsky for an inspirational talk, as well as all the organisers and sponsors to make this event a fabulous start to a new year of paddling. Thank you!

Paddling is for all ages and stages of life. Don’t be afraid to join the local SUP events. It’s not about winning. 

Stand-up paddling is about leisure and fun, connecting with other water-loving folk, and spending time out in nature, which is rejuvenating every time! 

This year SUPSA plans to focus on social paddling, so get ready to come and join us. No matter what board, no matter what your age. If you can swim, you can paddle with us. Bring your friends and family too!

Keep an eye on our calendar link below for the social events. 

SUPSA 2024 calendar

For more Velddrif 2024 race images, click to view our Facebook race album:

http://StandUpPaddlingSA on FB race images

While we were sleeping…. The SA SUP Team tackled the ICF WORLD SUP Championships in Pattaya, Thailand!

On the other side of the world (generally at around 3am our time) our little team from South Africa was taking on some of the biggest names in the ICF World SUP Championships! In average daily temperatures of 33º Celsius, a humidity level of 80%, and the water temperature being 22º C, they were often drained by the tropical heat before their races had even started! They said it was like living in a sauna, so post-race recovery took place daily at the hotel pool.

Junior athlete, Chiara Vorster, achieved a 1st place in the B Final sprints against girls her age who get to compete regularly on the international circuit, and have access to the latest equipment.  She also achieved a 5th place in the final A of the Junior Women’s technical race and an admirable 11th place in the 10km Long Distance Junior Women’s race! We can see her success story is just beginning!

Our well-known SUPer star, Tarryn King, decided to join as a last-minute entry, and heads home with a 3rd place bronze medal in the Open Women’s sprint section, where she is a well-esteemed competitor. After a great progression through all the heats of the Open Women’s technical series, Tarryn sadly suffered a bad fall at the start of the B final. Never one to give up, she fought her way back to finish with an 11th place.

Gareth, our men’s 40+ long distance athlete, also did extremely well in gruelling windy conditions, and finished with an 18th place out of 67, when a good chunk of the athletes who registered did not even start the race. He commented that his South African coastal downwind training stood him in good stead for the less-than-perfect side wind conditions they experienced on the day.

Our SUPSA president, Anja, who is also the SA team manager, decided to test the racing waters herself this year. She gained a 5th place in her first Open sprint heat, and a 21st placing in the inflatables section. Well done for tackling the racing from both sides of the story! Now she truly understands how tough the racing field is, and what her athletes go through.

Chris Couve is a former SA team paddler who now resides in Bangkok as he works for Starboard. He completed the sup inflatable race, ending 21st in a strong Open Men’s contingent.

One of the joys of racing are the friendships and connections formed with other paddlers. This year, our team found two former South Africans paddling under other nationalities as they have been living abroad for many years.

Holger Hassenpflug now resides in Austria and paddles in the 50+ men’s category. His results were as follows:
– 9th in inflatable race
– 9th overall in Sprint 50+ men
– 6th overall in Technical 50+ men

Marlene Bergh, who now resides in New Zealand, paddles with the 50+ women, and she placed as follows:
– 2nd overall in Technical 50+ women
– 6th overall in Long Distance 50+ women
– 3rd overall in Sprint 50+ women

It’s wonderful to see South Africans able to flourish wherever they may go! We will keep our eyes on these folk and support them too!

We salute our local group – a small team, but they made massive efforts that were certainly not unnoticed. Despite the always-looming obstacles of a very high exchange rate, difficulty finding new boards locally, and limited exposure to large SUP events of this stature, they placed more than respectably in their events.   Those that do travel as often as they can, know that it comes at a huge financial cost, massive travel overlay times, and personal sacrifice in order to train sufficiently, and yet, they successfully triumphed over all of these hurdles. We wish them safe travels home and all the best as they prepare for their future SUP events.

All images courtesy of the Planet Canoe Facebook page.

The South African Stand-Up Paddleboard Team Distinguishes Itself at the ISA  World SUP Championships

Johannesburg, 2 October 2023 – The South African Stand-Up Paddling (SUP) Team exhibited remarkable prowess and unwavering determination at the prestigious ISA World SUP Championships, held from 24 September 2023 to 1 October 2023, in Les Sables D’Olonne, France. Comprising of four exceptionally skilled athletes: Tarryn King, Evette Terblanche, Tom King, and Jethro Johnson; the team delivered standout performances across various SUP disciplines.

Tarryn King, an accomplished athlete of international acclaim, secured a remarkable 7th place finish in the fiercely competitive SUP surfing discipline, where her command of the waves was on full display. She continued her exceptional performance by clinching the 9th position in the gruelling SUP technical racing and an outstanding 3rd place in the high-speed SUP sprint racing – bringing back a bronze medal to her home country.

Jethro Johnson, our Eastern Cape Sup Surfer and a formidable presence on the national SUP surf scene, demonstrated his mastery by securing an 8th place ranking in the intensely competitive SUP surfing category, reflecting his finesse and agility on the board.

Evette Terblanche, known for her unwavering commitment to distance paddles, delivered commendable results, securing the 17th place in SUP surfing, the 22nd position in the demanding SUP technical racing, and a respectable 21st place in the challenging 18 km SUP distance racing.

Tom King, the venerable captain of the South African team, exhibited his leadership and exceptional skills by securing the 11th place rank in the highly competitive SUP surfing category.

Collectively, the South African SUP Team’s performances resulted in an impressive overall team ranking of 14th among the 30 countries that participated in this prestigious event. Their resounding success has not only brought pride to the nation but also reaffirmed South Africa’s standing within the global SUP community.

The South African SUP Team expresses heartfelt appreciation to their steadfast supporters, generous sponsors, and the International Surfing Association (ISA) for orchestrating an extraordinary event. They eagerly anticipate their continued journey, aspiring to attain even greater heights in forthcoming competitions.

A very special thank you to Olympic South Africa for their very generous sponsorship of the team kit! 

The South African SUP Team is pleased to announce its forthcoming participation in two confirmed international events. Firstly, they will be taking part at the ICF SUP World Championships in Thailand, slated for 15-19 November 2023. Building on their recent achievements, they are committed to representing South Africa with excellence on the global stage. Additionally, the team is eagerly anticipating the ISA SUP & Paddleboard World Championships scheduled for September 2024 in Denmark. Both these events will focus on SUP Racing. We hope to grow the team and ensure better fundraising so that South Africa is not only represented with exceptional talent but also by a full team.

The International Surfing Association (ISA), founded in 1964, is recognized by the International Olympic Committee as the World Governing Authority for Surfing. The ISA governs and defines Surfing as Shortboard, Longboard & Bodyboarding, StandUp Paddle (SUP) Racing and Surfing, Para-Surfing, Bodysurfing, Wakesurfing, and all other wave riding activities on any type of waves, and on flat water using wave riding equipment.

The ISA hosts a SUP and Paddleboard World Championship every year where athletes from across the world can compete. Each nation’s Federation submits the team that has been selected and ratified by the countries’ sport bodies. It is pivotal for sports to have opportunities like these so that athletes can have a purpose and goal for their training, to unite nations, to develop the sport, and to give global recognition to sports and its athletes around the world. At this year’s world championships 249 athletes competed from 30 countries!

For media inquiries or further information, please contact:
● Name: Anja Marie Burger
● Email: supsapresident@gmail.com
● Contact number: +27 72 804 4389