No: Breede1103 - 24 August 2011 - Breede Canoe Marathon Media Release

King and Schloms determined to prove a point at Breede

Cape Town - The powerhouse crew of Lance King and Heinrich Schloms has targeted the Breede canoe marathon next weekend to prove a point and end the record breaking Cape winter paddling season on a high note.

King finished third in the Windhoek Berg after a race beset with trials and tribulations, while Schloms was one place further back. Now the duo are keen to pool their resourcesand concert their minor placings into victory at the two-day 73km Breede, which will also decide the Western Cape K2 championships.

"I have got a whole string of second places in the Breede so it will be nice to go one better," said Schloms, who agreed to target the Breede with Lance King as early as January this year.

"We are flying! Lance is such a strong paddler, and we combine really well together. It is by far the best K2 combination that I have ever been involved in and we are going really well right now," he added. "Lance is a talented paddler but he works so hard, and as a result he is incredibly fit."

King won the Breede title two years ago with Pierre-Andre Rabie, and is bullish about his chances of another Breede title with Schloms. He is also eager to enjoy the view from the top step of the podium after having to play second fiddle to Hank McGregor and Pierre-Andre Rabie during the record breaking Windhoek Berg.

Schloms on the other hand has never won a major title, and given his pedigree and class the Paarl man is perhaps overdue a trophy on his mantlepiece.

The duo opted not to race last weekend's warm-up race on the Breede because the river was running very low. Instead they took part in their singles to get a look at the race course.

"Lance has a brand new K2 for the race and we didn't want to risk damaging it on the low river, so we went in singles," said Schloms. "Even then we scraped and scratched our way down the river in our K1s."

The Breede River Canoe Marathon gets under way outside Robertson on Saturday 3 September and ends outside Swellendam on Sunday 4 September. More information can be found at www.breederivermarathon.org.za

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