CX hosts successful canoe polo SAs

KNYSNA NEWS - Last week the country's very best canoe polo players descended on Portland Manor as the Knysna Canoe Club played host to the SA Canoe Polo Championships on 18 and 19 March.

Held at Portland Manor just outside Rheenendal, this was only the second time that Knysna Canoe Club (KCC) had the honour of hosting the national championships, having done so in 2018.

This year no less than 16 teams took part with a total of 110 participants, all of whom either camped out or stayed at Portland Manor, or stayed at local accommodation establishments.

The weather was simply perfect and conducive to some scintillating canoe polo action on both days, with sunny skies overhead and a light breeze barely rippling the surface of the dam at Portland Manor. Teams were split up across three divisions – seniors, juniors U18 and ladies U21 – with teams at times "crossing" divisions and playing against opposition from a different division.

The ball slips out of the hands of Knysna's Jamie Truby as he tries to take a shot at goal.

This made for some exciting and often interesting match-ups at game time. For example, the KCC seniors team played against the Western Cape ladies U21 team, which included many of their daughters – quite the family contest! But, as was evident with the vibe around the championship and the spirit in which it was played, the entire canoe polo community is simply one big family.

Make no mistake though, this didn't detract from the competition, as everyone was eager to try and take home top prize in their respective divisions.

The knockouts and finals were played on Sunday afternoon, 19 March, and the victors crowned. In the juniors U18 division, Western Cape claimed top prize while Gauteng finished second and Knysna Canoe Club finished third.

Next, in the ladies U21 division, Western Cape was triumphant again, with a number of Knysna locals in the side. Gauteng finished second and KwaZulu-Natal came in third.

Lastly, in the seniors division, Gauteng was finally able to overcome Western Cape with the Highvelders taking first place and the folks from the Cape taking second. KCC managed to finish third in this division.

PHOTO GALLERY: SA Canoe Polo Championships in Knysna

Thomas das Fontes (blue) chucks the ball to a Knysna teammate.