Grant van der Walt. Photo: Jon Vellacott/Gameplan Media
Underberg – With a huge field of paddlers converging on the Southern Drakensberg this weekend for the 20th anniversary of the N3TC Drak Challenge Canoe Marathon, the volatile weather and unpredictable Berg storms have left paddlers holding their collective breath, unable to predict the river conditions for the popular two-day, 70km race.
After running full for most of the summer, a week without rain has left the Umzimkulu river low, dramatically changing the nature of the race, which has countless steep rocky rapids.
Underberg was hit by a sever cloudburst on Thursday evening but still the river level failed to budge significantly, despite the sheer volume of water that fell in the river’s catchment areas.
However weather forecasts point to thunderstorms on Friday night and heavy rain on Saturday that may well provide the injection of water wanted by most of the paddlers. Few will be holding thumbs more than one of the pre-race favourites Grant van der Walt.
The big Team Best 4 Kayak Centre star and Under 23 world marathon champion is one of the heavier paddlers in the elite field, and will struggle if the race starts on a low and rocky river, particularly through the steep and technical Valley of a Thousand Rapids that spans the first 10 kilometres of the race.
Van der Walt has produced the standout performance over the longer 38km second stage for the last two years, and in the absence of defending champion Hank McGregor, who is away competing in the Perth Doctor surfski race in Australia, many feel this is Grant van der Walt’s opportunity to step up and claim his first major K1 river marathon title.
The former U23 world marathon champ will have to deal with some tough competition if he harbours dreams of stepping onto the top spot of the Drak podium, in particular from former winners Len Jenkins and Ant Stott.
The N3TC Drak Challenge 2013 starts on January 19 at Castleburn outside Underberg and finishes on January 20 at Early Mist Farm close to Coleford.
