Buffalo’s Rowers Shine at Wave-Shortened Nelson Mandela Bay Beach Sprints

Buffalo Rowing Club took home eight gold medals from Rowing South Africa’s Nelson Mandela Bay Beach Sprints, held at King’s Beach in Gqeberha (formerly Port Elizabeth) last weekend. The team’s rowers won five events outright, and three more in combined boats with athletes from other clubs.

The competition was supported by Kanghua Boats, who provided a fleet of bright yellow shells. Racing had to be cut short due to dangerous waves, meaning that the knockout rounds weren’t run, and the final results are the rankings from time trials.

The regatta featured 17 clubs from across South Africa, plus the Namibian national team. George du Plooy, who has raced for South Africa at the World Rowing Beach Sprint Finals every year since the country first travelled to 2023 worlds, took home two silver medals (CM2x and CMix2x) and a bronze (CM1x). Several teammates from last year’s South African team also took part, with Francis Hill winning gold (CW2x) and bronze (CW1x), and Murray Bales-Smith picking up two wins (CM1x and CMix4x+).

While Namibia has’t yet competed at beach sprint worlds, perhaps its attendance at this regatta is another sign that the sport is further expanding the reach of rowing.

The complete podiums from the Nelson Mandela Bay Beach Sprints, based on time trials, were:

CW1x:

1. Rachel Whitfield – Durban Rowing Club
2. Therese Addendorf – University of Stellenbosch
3. Frances Hill – University of Cape Town

CM1x:

1. Murray Bales-Smith – University of Pretoria
2. Ben Godfrey – Buffalo Rowing Club
3. George du Plooy – Cape Coastal Rowing Club

CW2x:

1. Frances Hill, Mackenzie Lamond – University of Cape Town
2. Erin Powers, Elizabeth Kingwell – Stellenbosch/Cape Town
3. Isabella Bruce, Therese Addendorf – University of Stellenbosch

CM2x:

1. Edward Godfrey, Ben Godfrey – Hout Bay/Buffalo
2. Mattys du Plooy, George du Plooy – Cape Coastal/Cape Town
3. Lukhanyo Sifo, Lisakhanya Mqalo – University of Fort Hare

CMix2x:

1. Edward Godfrey, Isabella Bruce – Hout Bay/Stellenbosch
2. George du Plooy, Tanna Diplock – Cape Coastal/Pretoria
3. Matthys du Plooy, Therese Addendorf – Cape Town/Stellenbosch

CMix4x+:

1. Therese Addendorf, Taine Buys, Robyn Gush, Murray Bales-Smith, Isolethu Mona (c) – Stellenbosch/Cape Coastal/Cape Town/Pretoria/Fort Hare
2. Edward Godfrey, Rachel Whitfield, Lukhanyo Sifo, Frances Hill, Lailah Bald (c) – Buffalo/Durban/Fort Hare/Cape Town/Stellenbosch
3. Avuyile Magazi, Tanna Diplock, Ziyanda Gwamanda, Ben Godfrey, Mackenzie Lamond (c) – Fort Hare/Pretoria/Cape Town/Buffalo

U19 CW1x:

1. Phoebe-Leigh Coleman – Buffalo Rowing Club
2. Jaunniel Moss – Buffalo Rowing Club
3. Katherine Allen – Zwartskop Rowing Club

U19 CM1x:

1. Nick Britts – Diocesian College
2. Callum Dreyer – Hilton College
3. Mzovukile Mofu – Buffalo Rowing Club

U19 CW2x:

1. Hayley Bennet, Gabrielle Assam – Henley Midmar/Buffalo
2. Jaunniel Moss, Phoebe-Leigh Coleman – Buffalo Rowing Club
3. Katherine Allen, Anouk Bugler – Zwartskop/Peninsula Girls

U19 CM2x:

1. Anganathi Waphi, Mzovukile Mofu – Buffalo Rowing Club
2. Lilitha Siqwana, Ntsikelelo Liba – Buffalo Rowing Club
3. Callum Dreyer, Sandile Gwamanda – Hilton College/St. John’s School

U19 CMix2x:

1. Mzovukile Mofu, Garielle Assam – Buffalo Rowing Club
2. Anganathi Waphi, Phoebe-Leigh Coleman – Buffalo Rowing Club
3. Callum Dreyer, Hayley Bennet – Hilton College/Henley Midmar

U19 CMix4x*:

1. Anouk Bugler, William David Mason, Sebastian Rogers, Gabrielle Assam, Mzovukile Mofu (c) – Peninsula Girls/Cape Coastal/Zwartskop/Buffalo
2. Tess Mackay, Julia Linop, Zach du Plessis, Liam Smith, Jerique Bernard (c) – Cape Coastal/Zwartskop/Grey/Durban
3. Katherine Allen, Sandile Gwamanda, Nstikelelo Liba, Jaunniel Moss, Adam Sieg (c) – Zwartskop/St. John’s/Buffalo/Grey

Masters CW1x:

1. Caylee Sinclair – Buffalo Rowing Club
2. Sarah Ward – Durban Rowing Club
3. Carrie Bennet – Henley Midmar Rowing Club

Masters CM1x:

1. Ruhan Booyens – Buffalo Rowing Club
2. Kieren John Sinclair – Buffalo Rowing Club
3. Benjamin Ekron – Zwartskop Rowing Club

Masters CMix2x:

1. Benjamin Ekron, Carrie Bennet – Zwartskop/Henley Midmar
2. Ruhan Booyens, Caylee Sinclair – Buffalo Rowing Club
3. Kieren John Sinclair, Sarah Ward – Buffalo/Durban