FAST, furious and edgy competition is anticipated at this year’s junior and senior National Canoe Beach Sprint Championships at Luderitz, slated for 15 to 20 October.
This year’s championships will have competitors paddling for top honours to be selected for the national team to represent Namibia at the East London Beach Sprint in South Africa.
A national team is also expected to be selected for the classical rowing championship slated for Pretoria towards the end of the year.
Speaking to Desert FM recently, Namibia Canoe and Rowing Federation president Mike Haimbodi said the rowers who achieve podium placements at the East London Beach Sprint will represent the country at the 2026 Commonwealth Beach Sprint in Barbados.
Namibia hosted the 2023 Commonwealth Rowing Beach tournament and clinched a bronze medal.
“Africa will host the first-ever canoe rowing beach sprint championships, canoe slalom, and classical rowing, at which we want to be represented in all three disciplines.
“Beach sprint is a fairly new sport code that was accepted as part of the 2023 Olympic Games. The Junior Olympics will take place in Senegal for the first time.
“We would like to send a team in all three categories. Namibia has the potential and talent, but we can only improve and be competitive if we compete against other countries,” stressed Haimbodi.
“The talent is there because when we hosted in 2023, we managed to secure a bronze medal out of 13 countries that took part.”
Haimbodi said that winning a bronze medal demonstrates how tougher competitions help athletes improve by measuring themselves against the continent’s best.
“I think if we get the opportunity and the chance, we will undoubtedly qualify for the 2028 Olympic Games penciled for the United States, Canada, and Mexico.”
He said the federation had to skip the 2025 World Rowing Championship to test their local talent at the African championship in South Africa first.
“That is our African Championship, with 45 countries competing for top honours. We want to be part of that competition and really test our strength and skill against the best on the continent.
“Though funding is a significant challenge, we have approached some companies for assistance, including the Ministry of Education, Innovation, Youth, Sport, Arts, and Culture.”
Haimbodi revealed that Olympic Solidarity is willing to assist.
“I think for the African championship and the championship in Barbados, we will receive assistance from Olympic Solidarity regarding flight tickets, but we hope the ministry will help us stage the national championship, where we can select a national team.”
As for local beach sprinting, Haimbodi said the federation will concentrate on the beach sprint event because Namibia has ideal locations for sport’s introduction.
“We are in discussions with the Municipality of Walvis Bay to provide us with an area closer to the beach, so we can start concentrating on the children from Walvis Bay.”
He said another ideal town is Luderitz.
“We want to build our infrastructure at Walvis Bay by starting with talent identification, especially from previously disadvantaged communities.”
Haimbodi said the interest shown at Walvis Bay is high, adding that the introduction of the sport could pull children away from social ills such as alcohol and drug abuse.
He said a strategic plan is to look at the Friedenau Dam, a gravity concrete dam in the Khomas region, located 38km south-west of Windhoek.
“We want to approach Namibia Water Corporation to give us a space at the dam. If we achieve that, we will be one of the best in Africa in 10 to 15 years, competing highly against South Africa in rowing and canoeing.”
He said the dialogue with the Walvis Bay municipality is positive.
“As you know, it is politics at play, so we are still waiting because the councillors have to meet, but due to bureaucratic processes, it might take a while before we receive a positive response.”
In terms of inclusivity, the federation plans to introduce beach sprinting in the Zambezi and the two Kavango regions.
“We are planning to take rowers from those regions to the national championship. The federation’s councillors have been hard at work organizing various competitions.
“Unfortunately, we don’t have equipment to donate to them as we have limited boats. However, the Luderitz club has a ‘boat house’ where they keep their equipment; unfortunately, the same cannot be said for Walvis Bay,” said Haimbodi.
He said the federation’s equipment is stored at the Namibian Police and Namibian Navy boat houses.
“After hosting the 2023 Commonwealth Games, equipment worth N$1.6 million was donated to the federation.
“Our capacity programme is strong. From 19 to 24 October, we will have umpires and coaches from South Africa come to train our coaches before the national championship in Luderitz,” he said.
AFRICA CANOE POLO CHAMPIONS
Namibia, as the reigning Africa Canoe Polo champions, are expected to defend their title this year in South Africa.
“We are planning to send a team to defend our title. We hope we get financial assistance to be able to send a team. I really don’t want to dwell on the issue of money, but we did submit a request to the Namibia Sports Commission (NSC) for assistance, so that we can send a team as the defending champions.”
Haimbodi said the athletes selected during the nationals will attend a training programme and eventually represent Namibia at the 2028 Olympic Games.
He said Namibia can have a good national team, but because of the low standard of local competitions, the federation hopes to expose the athletes to international competitions, especially in North Africa.
“That can happen when assistance from the Namibia National Olympic Committee and the NSC is forthcoming. Not excluding support from the corporate sector,” stressed Haimbodi.
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