Paddlers Shine Nationally, Internationally. Camps Bay High School’s paddlers, Holly Smith, Ryley Smith, and Jared Shrimpton, have recently excelled in the SA Marathon Championships and the SA Surfski Championships, with Ryley also finishing in first place at the Ocean Warriors Ironman. Their remarkable performances have earned them national recognition and opportunities to represent South Africa on the world stage.

SA Marathon Championships

At the SA Marathon Championships held in Roodeplaat, Gauteng, our paddlers showcased their exceptional skills and determination.

Holly Smith placed second in the Women’s U18 Singles and secured first place in the Women’s U18 Doubles with her partner, Georgia Singe from Fish Hoek High School, making the SA Team for Women’s U18 Singles and Doubles.
Ryley Smith achieved first place in the U16 Boys Singles and second place in the U18 Men’s Singles, making the SA Team for Men’s U18 Singles.
Jared Shrimpton placed third in both the U16 Boys and U18 Men’s Singles categories.
Team Effort: Ryley and Jared teamed up for the Doubles event, achieving first place in the U16 Boys Doubles, first place in the U18 Boys Doubles, making the SA Team for Men’s U18 Doubles.

As a result of their stellar performances, Holly, Ryley, and Jared will represent South Africa at the 2024 ICF Canoe Marathon World Championships in Metkovic, Croatia Holly and Georgia will defend their Junior Women’s Doubles Canoe Marathon World Title, aiming for a consecutive win. Ryley and Jared, who were the youngest competitors in last year’s Junior Men’s Double event, hope to leverage their experience to be more competitive in this year’s event. Additionally, Ryley will compete in the Junior Men’s Single event for South Africa.

SA Surfski Championships

Following the SA Marathon Championships, our paddlers continued to excel at the SA Surfski Championships held in Durban.

Holly Smith secured second place in the U18 Women’s Singles and sixth overall in the Senior Women’s Singles. Alongside Georgia Singe, Holly won the U18 Women’s Doubles and placed an incredible fourth overall in the Senior Women’s Race, making the SA Team.
Ryley Smith won the U18 Men’s Singles and U16 Boys Singles, while Jared finished sixth in the U18 Men’s Singles and fourth in the U16 Boys Singles, making the SA Team.
Doubles Performance: In the Doubles race, Ryley and Jared impressed by winning the U18 Men’s Doubles and placing seventh overall.

Ryley and Holly have been selected for the South African Surf Ski Team to compete in the ICF Canoe Ocean Racing World Championships 2024 in Madeira Island, Portugal, in early October 2024.

Ocean Warriors Ironman Event

In between these championship events, Ryley Smith participated in the Ocean Warriors Ironman, a lifesaving event held in St. Francis Bay. This challenging competition consists of swim, board, and ski races, testing athletes in unforgiving surf conditions. Ryley achieved an impressive first place in this event.

School’s Pride

Busi Ngcwama, Head of Sport at Camps Bay High School, expressed the school’s pride: “We are incredibly proud of Holly, Ryley, and Jared for their exceptional achievements in these prestigious competitions. Their dedication, hard work, and sportsmanship are truly inspiring. We are excited to see them represent South Africa on the world stage and wish them the best of luck.”