Camps Bay High paddlers shine at the SA Marathon Championships
Ryley Smith and his partner Keagan Vogt take to the waters on their way to a gold medal in the doubles.
Image: supplied
Two young paddlers from Camps Bay High School, Ryley Smith and Jared Shrimpton are continuing to make waves in the world of canoe marathon racing.
The Grade 11 pupils from Hout Bay are building on a string of impressive achievements with yet another standout performance, this time at the SA Marathon Championships held recently in Upington, Northern Cape.
Ryley delivered a dominant set of results, gold in the K2 (doubles) with his partner Keagan Vogt from Maritzburg College, a silver medal in the short course after a thrilling race to the finish line, and a well-fought fifth place in the K1 (singles) following a tightly contested and highly tactical race.
Jared also impressed, earning bronze in the K2 (doubles) with Sam Mocke from Fish Hoek High School and another bronze in the K1 (singles), demonstrating strength, endurance, and consistency across both team and solo events.
Their performances at the national championships have once again earned them selection for the South African Junior Men’s team to compete at the 2025 ICF Canoe Marathon World Championships in Győr, Hungary, a remarkable achievement and a clear reflection of their place among the country’s elite young paddlers.
Ryley, together with his K2 partner Keagan, will represent South Africa in the long course K2, while both Ryley and Jared have been selected to race in the short course event, a high-intensity and tactical format where milliseconds can decide the podium.
In further exciting news, Ryley has also been selected to represent South Africa at the 2025 Olympic Hopes Canoe Sprint event, which will be held in Racice, Czech Republic.
This selection recognises his versatility across both the marathon and sprint disciplines and is yet another testament to his exceptional ability and dedication to the sport.
Busi Ngcwama, head of sport at Camps Bay High School, shared her pride: “We are incredibly proud of Ryley and Jared. Being named to the national team is one of the highest honours in South African paddling, signifying not only athletic excellence but also the ability to compete and thrive under international pressure.
“It places Ryley and Jared among a small group of athletes chosen to represent the nation on the world stage, where the competition is fierce and the standard world-class,” said Ms Ngcwana.
“To see two of our learners earn this honour again is extraordinary. Their success shows what’s possible when talent meets hard work, and they continue to be inspiring role models in our school community. We’ll be cheering them on all the way to Hungary.”