Wet and Wild Adventure Sport Festival

Words: Ron Brunnings

The inaugural Wet and Wild Adventure Sport Festival takes place from 21-21 September 2013 and is a collaboration of four adventure sport events. It will be held at Knipe’s Hope Dam on La Priere Farm, in Montagu, Western Cape, and forms part of the Montagi Makiti Family and Heritage Festival that takes place on the same weekend. Although people do not associate the Karoo with water, it was once all part of a huge inland sea.  So we thought it appropriate to host a water sports-focused event as part of the heritage festivities.

Open to persons of all ages and ability, the two day festival will comprise an off-road triathlon, a biathle, an open-water swim, and paddle, and aims to attract a broad spectrum of entrants; from novices to top flight athletes. It is our intent to focus on bringing in the primary school kids, hence the inclusion of a Biathle event, hosted by the WP Triathlon Association. And the overall purpose of the event is to promote the region and entice more outdoor adventure seekers to explore what is on offer.

 

Knipe's Hope Dam

Knipe’s Hope Dam is located 1.5 km east of the central village and its primary role is to hold water for the CBR Irrigation Scheme, which supplies water to the local farming community.  The water is pumped directly from the Breede River, to Ashton, through Cogmanskloof and to the dam.  The dam also supplies drinking water to the village of Montagu.

 

Geographically the dam is sandwiched between two koppies, measuring 370 m and 321 m high respectively.  The dam wall, which comprises a reinforced soil and earth structure, faces north-west and is some 30m high.  The dam itself covers an area of some 30 ha.  It is 1,460 m long and some 345 m wide at its broadest point.  The water is replenished on a regular basis, but is generally at full capacity in September of each year.  The dam is surrounded on three sides by natural fynbos.  The fourth comprises extensive apricot orchards of La Priere Farm.  The Le Domaine Eco-Reserve, which comprises 10 single residential lots, is located on the dam’s south-west bank.

 

Access to the dam is from the south, off Main Road 294 and across La Priere Farm. The access road to the Le Domaine Eco-Reserve runs along the banks of the dam.  The dam wall is also suitable for use by vehicles if necessary.

 

WET & WILD Adventure Sport Fest, Montagu, Western Cape
21-21 September 2013
Sat: Tri-X (swim – MTB – trail)  +  Biathle SA (run – swim – run)
Sun: Open water swim (1 mile and 800 m)  +  K1 & K2 (17 km and 10 km)

 

Contact: Ron [email protected] / www.mountain.mania.net
 

 

Topic: 
Festivals
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