River racing in the western cape is a discipline that invites paddlers of all skill sets from novices to elite racers. The Western Cape has a long and rich heritage of river racing, which began in the early 50s and 60s as adventurous souls decided to trip various rivers form their sources to the sea.
Over the course of the years these pursuits have morphed into the races that we hold today, notably the major races of the Berg and the Breede river marathons, with smaller races on the Olifants and the Eerste rivers.
As the Western Cape has predominately winter rainfall, our river season takes place in the winter when our rivers are fill.
River racing is a unique aspect to canoeing, it throws paddlers into a world where canoeing and adventure racing almost combine. Paddlers must be able to race effectively over long or shorter distances while negotiating rapids and treeblocks. This all molds into a dynamic and exciting format of canoeing and one that is enjoyed by many.
