River Royalty

The story of the Berg River Marathon starts in 1952, when three intrepid Paarl adventurers, Bennie le Roux, Apie le Roux, and Sam du Toit, decided that the Berg River needed taming—or at least navigating. Armed with a boat powered by an outboard motor that was probably held together with sheer optimism and duct tape, they set off on what would become a legendary four-day journey to Velddrif. Their pioneering spirit? Inspiring. Their method? Questionable. Their snack supply? Likely woefully inadequate.Fast forward ten years to 1962, when a group of 35 lunatics, sorry, pioneers, decided paddling the flooded Berg River from Paarl over four days was an excellent idea. With the enthusiastic backing of Die Burger newspaper, they launched the first official Berg Marathon. Of the 35 who started, only 19 finished. The other 16? Presumably they were either swallowed by the river or decided life was too short for this kind of nonsense.

The inaugural race was won by 42-year-old Nollie Meiring, a man who redefined grit and determination. Paddling a state-of-the-art 17-foot narrow boat named Kelkiewyn (because why not name your boat after wine?), Meiring’s victory was nothing short of miraculous. He had club feet, no rudder, and apparently no patience for losing.

For his efforts, Meiring was awarded a bright red VW Beetle—a prize so excessive for an "amateur" athlete that it triggered the South African Canoe Federation to ban him from future races. Not that Meiring cared. He retired immediately, gave away his boat and paddles at the finish line, and presumably drove off into the sunset in his new Beetle, cackling with triumph.

With Meiring out of the picture, Paarl farmer Jannie Malherbe took over, dominating the next three editions of the race. But the Berg wasn’t about to make it easy. In 1965, gale-force winds and bone-chilling cold turned the marathon into a survival test. Paddlers battled not just the river but also their sanity, and those who finished probably still have war stories about it.

For a while, women were allowed to paddle only the final, gentler stage of the race into Velddrif’s estuary. But in 1978, progress won out over tradition, and women were finally allowed to compete in the full race. Cheronne Botes paddled her way into history as the first female Berg champion, proving that the river didn’t care about gender—it only cared about how much punishment you could endure.

The 1980s saw fierce interprovincial rivalries, with paddlers from the then-Transvaal storming the Berg in large contingents. This era of cutthroat competition saw a string of champions emerge, from Graham Monteith’s 1989 victory to Robbie Herreveld’s six-in-a-row dominance in the mid-90s. Michael Cheeseman then took the torch, winning three consecutive races from 1997 to 1999, solidifying his place in Berg folklore.

The new millennium brought with it a young paddler named Hank McGregor, who would go on to become a legend, winning the 2000 edition and eventually claiming a record 11 Berg titles. By this time, international interest was picking up, with teams of British paddlers clashing paddles with Springboks.

In 2017, Hungarian Adrián Boros became the first international winner of the Berg, proving that the river’s reputation had gone global.

The Berg’s organisers have always been inventive, and in 2018 they introduced a novel two-person team format. This format brought Boros back to partner with Graeme Solomon for a joint victory, further spicing up the race's already colorful history.

The global COVID-19 pandemic threatened to derail the Berg’s legacy in 2020, but instead, it galvanised the race’s organisers. With support from Canoeing South Africa, they staged the 60th anniversary race in July 2021, proving that not even a pandemic could sink the spirit of the Berg.

In the women's division, Stephanie Von der Heyde emerged victorious, despite a mid-race equipment malfunction involving a broken cable. Her resilience and quick problem-solving ensured she maintained her lead, finishing ahead of competitors like Neriyah Dill, who won the affected stage.

In 2021, Andy Birkett, at the ripe old age of 30, paddled his way to a second Berg River Marathon title with a blistering time of 17 hours, 27 minutes, and 25 seconds. His performance was so smooth, spectators swore he must’ve found a hidden current no one else knew about. But the real headline-grabber? His wife, Nikki Birkett, decided to steal his thunder by winning the women’s race.

This power paddling duo became the first-ever married couple to win both titles in the same year. Rumor has it, their post-race dinner conversation consisted of trading “my arms hurt more than yours” banter. If they ever host a family relay, the rest of us might as well stay home.

The years 2022 and 2023 brought the return of the legend himself: Hank McGregor. At 44, while most folks are considering cushy office chairs or luxury recliners, McGregor was out there crushing his 13th Berg River Marathon title in 18 hours, 41 minutes, and 5 seconds. Watching him paddle was like witnessing a river otter with a Ph.D. in hydrodynamics.

By 2023, McGregor—now 45 and clearly immune to aging—grabbed his 14th title with a time of 17 hours, 10 minutes, and 16 seconds. His strategy? A mix of Zen-like patience, Olympian fitness, and, as rumors suggest, a supercharged biltong diet. One rival quipped, "He doesn’t paddle faster; the river just respects him more."

Cue 2024 and enter 26-year-old Tom Lovemore, a fresh-faced contender ready to stir the Berg River waters. With McGregor sitting this one out (likely busy being awesome elsewhere), Lovemore seized his moment and crossed the finish line in a triumphant 18 hours, 39 minutes, and 0 seconds.

Lovemore’s win was a delightful cocktail of youthful exuberance and tactical brilliance, signaling the dawn of a new paddling era. Some joked he had "youthful energy," but others swore he had a turbo-charged paddle hidden in his gear. Either way, the future of the Berg looks bright (and fast).

The women’s race brought its own drama, with Stephanie Von der Heyde triumphing despite a mid-race cable malfunction. Imagine fixing your ride mid-race and still winning—her resilience was unmatched. Behind her, Neriyah Dill capitalised on the chaos to claim a stage win, proving that on the Berg, anything can happen.

Whether it’s seasoned legends, dynamic duos, or plucky newcomers, the Berg River Marathon keeps delivering the kind of drama, excitement, and downright ridiculous determination that makes us all feel like underachievers. The river may stay the same, but the stories it carries are anything but predictable.

The Berg River Marathon is more than a race; it’s a living, flowing parable about life. The river doesn’t care about your accolades, your excuses, or your sore muscles. It simply flows, and you must decide how to navigate it.

For those who take on the challenge, the Berg teaches resilience, camaraderie, and humility. It reminds us that while the journey may be gruelling, the triumph is in the perseverance. 

So here’s to the Berg River Marathon, a saga of grit, humor, and human spirit that continues to inspire (and mildly terrify) paddlers from around the world.

 

 

History courtesy of Berg River Canoe Marathon. Photo by Berg River Canoe Marathon.