South Africans Impress at 2025 ICF Canoe Marathon World Championships in Győr

Győr, Hungary – 4–7 September 2025
Team South Africa delivered a series of gritty performances at the 2025 ICF Canoe Marathon World Championships on the Mosoni-Danube, with highlights across junior, U23, and senior divisions. The event, which broke new ground by adding paracanoe marathons and junior short-lap races, saw South Africans consistently testing themselves against the world’s best across four demanding days of racing.

Day 1 – Short Course Debuts and Early Finals

The Championships opened with the new short-distance format for juniors and seniors, a test of speed and strategy.

Junior Women (3.6 km): Isabella Strydom and Hana Newlands placed 10th and 13th in their heats before Strydom advanced to the final, finishing 18th.
Junior Men (3.6 km): Ryley Smith (7th in his heat) and Jared Shrimpton (3rd in his heat) both impressed. In the final, Smith narrowly missed the podium in 4th (14:47.24), while Shrimpton came 7th.
Senior Women (3.6 km): Experienced paddlers Jenna Nisbet and Nicole Birkett battled strong fields, finishing 16th and 19th respectively in the final.
Senior Men (3.6 km): Ulvard Hart and Clinton Cook showed strong form, with Hart finishing 7th in the final and Cook 18th.

South Africa’s highlight on Day 1 came from Smith’s near-podium finish in the junior men’s short course, a strong marker of promise for the days ahead.

Day 2 – U23 Medal Glory

The endurance races began, with South Africa’s juniors and U23 athletes stepping up.

Junior Women (18.1 km): Alayah Krogscheepers (12th) and Strydom (15th) gained valuable long-distance experience.
U23 Women (21.8 km): The standout of the day was Jade Wilson, who claimed bronze in 1:43:13, with compatriot Saskia Hockly finishing 5th. Wilson’s medal marked South Africa’s first podium of the Championships.
U23 Men (25.5 km): Both Matthew Coetzer and Samuel Butcher placed 18th and 20th respectively in a competitive field.

Day 3 – Vogt and Birkett Lead the Charge

Day 3 delivered some of South Africa’s finest performances of the week.

Junior Men (21.8 km): Keegan Vogt took silver with a superb time of 1:31:25.67, while teammate Cody Stallard was close behind in 4th. Vogt’s medal was South Africa’s second podium, confirming his potential as one of the rising stars.
Junior Women K2 (18.1 km): Both South African pairs showed determination, with Hana Newlands & Tayla Norton finishing 12th, and Krogscheepers & Emma Privett in 13th.
Senior Men K1 (29.2 km): In one of the most prestigious races of the event, Andrew Birkett proved once again why he is world class, earning silver in 2:00:19.78. Nicolas Notten also impressed, finishing 5th in the same race.

South Africa closed Day 3 with medals in both junior and senior men’s K1 races, keeping the national flag flying high.

Day 4 – Strong K2 Team Showings

The Championships wrapped up with the doubles races, and South Africa fielded strong partnerships across junior and senior divisions.

Junior Men K2 (21.8 km): Vogt teamed up with Ryley Smith to secure bronze in 1:28:52.75. Stallard & Jarryd Cole were not far behind in 6th.
Senior Women K2 (25.5 km): Nisbet & Wilson narrowly missed out on a medal, finishing 4th, with Hockly & Pippa McGregor close behind in 5th.
Senior Men K2 (29.2 km): Cook & Notten placed 6th, while veterans Hank McGregor & Hart came 13th in a stacked international field.

A Championship of Promise and Podiums

By the close of racing in Győr, South Africa had secured four medals –

Silver: Vogt (Junior Men K1), Birkett (Senior Men K1)
Bronze: Wilson (U23 Women K1), Vogt/Smith (Junior Men K2)

Beyond the medals, consistent top-10 finishes showed the depth of South Africa’s canoe marathon program. Athletes such as Smith, Stallard, Nisbet, Hockly, and Notten all delivered results that underline a bright future.

With the Championships also marking the debut of new race formats and the upcoming rise of paracanoe marathon events, South Africa’s performances in Hungary demonstrated both resilience and progression with some exciting names for the future making their mark.