Podium finishes for Knysna in canoe polo nationals

KNYSNA NEWS - The Knysna Yacht Club (KYC) sent two canoe polo teams to compete at the yearly SA Championships in Pietermaritzburg over the weekend of 3 to 5 May.

It was the first experience in competitive canoe polo for the Knysna junior ladies (U16) and the team gained valuable experience, securing a third place in their division. The Western Province U21 men's team battled their way right up to the top.

This year's SA championships began with a stroke of bad luck with both teams landing in difficult pools. The boys played in the Open Division, and the girls in the Women's Division – both teams were up against older and stronger players.

They preceded to astound players and spectators alike over the course of the weekend however, demonstrating excellent tenacity and sportsmanship as they fought their way onto the podium.

En route with the ladies

Knysna's junior developing team of four enthusiastic 13-year-old girls has made outstanding progress in the six months since they started playing this unique sport.

The team was trained under the guidance and expertise of club coaches Jamie Truby and Jack Ligeti who helped the young ladies to master many of the skills of canoe polo. Unfortunately, this team was a player short, and needed to borrow someone from another club to assist in the competition. Their performance over the course of the weekend goes to show how far hard work and the right guidance can go.

The Knysna junior ladies played well, triumphing over both the Gauteng and KZN U18s in two sensational early games. But, the girls were taught some valuable lessons by the stronger Gauteng U18s as the teams progressed through the competition.

In play, front to back: Ayden Gething, Daniel Smit and Dru Guberman.

Somewhere between boys and men

A highly anticipated game was the one between the Knysna and Gauteng U18s, which turned out to be fast paced, ferocious and intense. An energetic start had Western Cape ahead 3-0, a lead they struggled to maintain, and by half time the score board posted five goals each. An excellent breakaway goal and fantastic last-minute save by the goalie clinched the win for Western Cape.

"It's been half an hour, and my body is still shaking," said the team captain, out of breath and still in unbelief of their victory. This game, followed by other wins, brought Knysna to the top, winning the U18 category, and claiming bronze overall in the men's division.

Western Cape Men U21 was made up entirely of a group of teenage boys from the KYC. They have been training exceptionally hard for this tournament ever since they missed the gold last year in a challenging game against Gauteng.

The countless hours spent perfecting their throw, and fine-tuning their boat skills at the Waterfront was well worth it, as they battled their way through the pool stages and all the way to the top.

The competition ended with a Men's Open Division final between Western Cape and Gauteng – the two strongest teams in the country.

The girls team, from left: Yaelah Sharpley, Lila Webster, Ida Stassen and Giulia Lutolf.

Live from KwaZulu-Natal

Gabriela Guberman, one of the player's moms, gave words to the action in her running commentary on the game: "The tension is palpable, as five players on each side line the back of their kayaks against the goal line. The whistle blows. An explosive start has two sprinters charging toward the ball.

"The crowd braces for a head-on collision, Gauteng gaining first possession as the two boats ramp over one another. Paddles fly about, boats ram against each other and the ball is thrown to and fro, as the attacking team jostles for prime position. The men in blue (Western Cape) work hard in defence, and a fumble from the opposition is quickly converted into a goal.

"The noise is deafening as the game continues, and then the 16-year-old Dru scores the second goal for WC, becoming the youngest person to do so in the men's finals in the history of this competition. A green card for Gauteng and successful penalty shot win Western Cape their third goal."

An intense, high action game that kept spectators on their toes. "I thought I only screamed like a hooligan at rugby matches!" laughed one spectator. The 2024 SA Championships were a huge success, inspiring and motivating Knysna players to excel even further in this competitive water sport.

The competitors in Pietermaritzburg. Lila Webster, Ida Stassen, Yaelah Sharpley, Darron Guberman, Giulia Lutolf, Ayden Gething, Dru Guberman, Lusanda Caw, Jamie Truby, Jack Ligeti, Daniel Smit and Luca Phitidis.