Berg River Canoe Marathon Off To A Chilly Start

The Western Cape Department of Cultural Affairs and Sport, in partnership with the Western Cape Canoe Union and the Drakenstein Municipality, launched the 54^th iconic Berg River Canoe Marathon in Paarl on 15 July 2014. 

Minister of Cultural Affairs and Sport Anroux Marais said that she would be thinking of the canoeists paddling in such cold conditions and wished them well. “Our support for the staging of the Berg River Marathon is part of our campaign to bring big sports events to the Western Cape,” she said.

The marathon is usually an epic 240 km journey from Paarl to Velddrif, but this year the route is shorter. For the second time in its history, the starting point was Hermon Bridge instead of Berg River Bridge due to low rainfall and challenges between Wellington and Hermon.

Through supporting this prestigious event and partnerships, DCAS creates opportunities in competitive sport, BETTER TOGETHER.