CANOE MARATHON
Giel van Deventer set to extend his Berg canoe marathon record
Paarl — Evergreen Giel van Deventer will be lining up for his 48th Berg River Canoe Marathon when the four-day race gets under way in Paarl on July 12, extending his own record for the most finishes in the iconic odyssey to the West Coast. "When I was younger, I never had a specific goal in terms of number of Bergs to complete," says the grandmaster paddler. "If asked when are you going to stop, my normal answer was as long as I enjoy the Berg, I will be back next year. The year I completed my 46th Berg, we had a terrible windy and cold third day. It took me 8½ hours. I was finished. My wife gave me one look and said she thought it time for me to quit. "I said I will give it a thought, which I did. My decision was I will try to get to at least 50 Bergs and thereafter, I will consider stopping if I feel that the old body is taking too much punishment. But 50 Bergs will allow me to rest in peace!" The 67-year-old, who farms outside Paarl, set an example to the paddling community by lo...
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