KNYSNA NEWS  - Two paddlers from the Knysna Yacht and Canoe Club, Tom Lovemore and Johan de Bruijn, have delivered outstanding performances on the international stage after completing the gruelling 100km Vohandu Marathon in Estonia on 18 April. Estonia is a country in Northern Europe, south of Finland.

The Vohandu Marathon is regarded as the largest canoe marathon in the world, attracting thousands of participants from across the globe. This year's event saw around 3 000 paddlers taking part, with 1 244 boats and teams starting the race and 1 077 completing the demanding course.

Lovemore produced a strong performance, finishing third overall and securing a gold medal in the K1 singles category while De Bruijn also impressed, finishing 20th overall in a strong international field.

The race tested endurance to the limit, with competitors required to paddle 100km within a 24-hour cut-off in challenging conditions. Temperatures ranged between 4°C and 10°C throughout the event, adding to the difficulty of the already demanding course.

Lovemore completed the race in approximately eight hours, while de Bruin crossed the line in around ten hours.

Lovemore is no stranger to extreme endurance events and has a reputation as one of the country's leading long-distance paddlers, having won the Berg River Canoe Marathon in South Africa over 256km in 2024.

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