Date: 15 July

Time: 10:30 – 16:00

Location: Velddrif

Contact: +27 (0)22 7831 821 | [email protected]

Description: Billed as one of the toughest water races in the Western Cape, the paddling marathon challenges brave men and women to take on the mighty stretch of Berg River that winds its way from the hills of Paarl to its mouth at the Atlantic Ocean in Velddrif (about 160km from Cape Town). The gruelling four-day race ends with a community festival for young and old (as well as the fit and unfit) that features a smorgasbord of fun activities, live entertainment and arts and crafts. Along with cheering on competitors as they cross the finish line at the Carinus Bridge, revelers can take in the great story telling from Brekvis – stories while sipping on a nice cold one from the beer garden or nibble on some delicious nosh from one of the local hotspots. Not to mention, there’ll even be a fun 2.5-km canoe race for novices with marathon aspirations. There is also the attraction of a ‘bokkom skil and eet’ contest for those who really love eating fish and have the necessary know-how to win! Grab the family and head up the West Coast for an enjoyable afternoon at this good old-fashioned country festival. Who knows, watching all the accomplished paddlers coming in might inspire you to pick up a pair of oars and sign up for next year’s event.