GEORGE NEWS - George resident Jannie Malherbe (85) crossed the finish line of the Berg River Canoe Marathon on Saturday 5 July for the 52nd time, setting a new record for the most finishes in the event's history.
What made this year's achievement even more remarkable was that he had tackled this gruelling course with injuries to his Achilles tendon and ribs - yet still etched his name in the history books.
The Berg River Canoe Marathon covers a distance of 240km from Paarl to Velddrif.
Prior to this year's event, Malherbe had jointly held the record for the most finishes with the late Giel van Deventer.
His feat comes shortly after another George local, Louis Massyn (74), had completed the Comrades Marathon for the 50th time. Both men now hold the record for two of South Africa's toughest and most popular sporting events. Their ages do not hold them back; instead, they serve as inspiration, particularly to the younger generation.
Malherbe's name is synonymous with canoeing and he is regarded as a legend in the sport. He started paddling at the age of 22. He took part in the very first Berg River Marathon in 1962 and has won it three times over the years. He only missed a few races during the 1970s and did not finish once due to illness.
Malherbe is also a Springbok canoeist and has numerous titles to his name. In 2017, he was crowned world champion in his age group. He remains the oldest person ever to have completed the Berg River Marathon.
On Tuesday, shortly before leaving for Graaff-Reinet where he is involved in a major construction project, he took some time out to chat with the paper. In addition to his active involvement in sport, he is part of a family-run construction company.
From Paarl to Velddrif
He was supported by a team of helpers and supporters, including his son-in-law Embee Bosman, who paddled alongside him in his own canoe. In preparation for this year's race, Malherbe trained about seven hours a week on the water.
There were challenges during the race, but quitting was never on his mind. As always, he thoroughly enjoyed it and had no idea what his final time was. "I finished fairly close to the back."
According to him, the weather was far from pleasant this year. There were no severe storms, but neither was there any decent sunshine - it simply stayed cold the entire time.
Nonetheless, he achieved his goal of finishing and proudly earned his 52nd Berg River medal.
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Jannie Malherbe (85) and his son-in-law, Embee Bosman, who paddled with him in his own canoe.‘We bring you the latest Garden Route, Hessequa, Karoo news’
