Jenna Nisbet has won the four-stage event 2025 Berg River Canoe Marathon, at Velddrif on the Western Cape’s Atlantic seaboard, on Saturday, 5 July, 2025.
KZN paddler Nisbet, second on the day, won the woman’s race by six minutes from East London’s Nix Birkett, who won the first and final stages.
Nisbet said she was “absolutely exhausted” and the event – often in bitter cold driving rain – had been particularly tough this year. She also said the wind on the final stage had been trying, “but what would the Berg be without the wind”.
“I’m really happy to win, but to me every finisher of this race is a winner.”
2025 Berg River Canoe Marathon Champion, Jenna Nisbet
Birkett had pulled ahead about 35km into the stage after some “argy bargy” with a group of men paddlers. “I hung on but Jenna fell off the group. I’m so stoked with second.”
It was Nisbet’s third win in the prestigious event, which she described as “incredibly well-organised … Congratulations to the organisers and the sponsors”.
Leading Results at the 2025 Berg River Canoe Marathon at Velddrif, on 5 July, 2025
(Overall position, name, overall time (Day 1, Day 2, Day 3, Day 4))
1. Jenna Nisbet 17:33:49 (4:40:02, 2:17:24, 5:46:40, 4:49:40)
2. Nix Birkett 17:39:44 (4:39:54, 2:25:23, 5:46:37, 4:47:48)
3. Neriyah Dill 17:45:29 (4:46:15, 2:23:12, 5:46:40, 4:45:29)
4. Stephanie von der Heyde 18:57:11 (4:49:31, 2:52:37, 6:10:26, 5:04:35)
5. Bianca Beavitt 19:10:21 (5:01:36, 2:29:38, 6:11:05, 5:28:01)
Original Copy: Chris Whitfield for the Berg River Canoe Marathon, with editing by gsport
Main Photo Caption: An exhausted Jenna Nisbet crosses the line to win her third Berg River Canoe Marathon title, at Velddrif on the Western Cape’s Atlantic seaboard, on Saturday, 5 July, 2025. All Photos: John Hishin / Gameplan Media
Photo 2 Caption: The 2025 women’s podium finishers were (from left) second-placed Nix Birkett, winner Jenna Nisbet and third-placed Neriyah Dill.
Photo 3 Caption: Nisbet, second on the day, won the race by six minutes from East London’s Nix Birkett, who won the first and final stages.
