Strong showing from local paddlers
They finished the race in 2 hours 32 minutes, as the 13th double finishers and as the third mixed-double (male/female combination) team
Ryan and Vasti Booysen from neighbouring Bedfordview and members of the Victoria Lake Canoe Club in Germiston successfully finished a 26km race on July 2.
The race was from Meyerton to Vanderbijlpark, from the Klip River to the Vaal River. The race was hosted by Johannesburg Canoe Club, based in the South of Johannesburg.
They completed the race in 2 hours 32 minutes, as the 13th double finishers and as the third mixed double finishers.
Despite the winter weather and cold water, Gauteng paddlers are up and running and in training towards a variety of goals.
The novice season takes place in winter, when there is no rainfall and the rivers are more manageable, slower, shallower and less wild.
This is the beginning of the canoe race season, which peaks in the summer rainfall and flooding months, by which time paddlers have the experience, ability and skills they need to tackle the big, fast water.
Novices who begin learning rivers need to attain a number of qualifying points in winter by participating in races.
This is in order to achieve A-grade river race status, which will allow them to enter the A-grade rivers in summer.
The first A-grade river race usually takes place in Cradock, Eastern Cape, on the Fish river.
At the same time, a number of paddlers have been working on their fitness, stamina and endurance in order to achieve a good position at the Gauteng Marathon Championships. There the provincial team will be selected to represent Gauteng at the SA Marathon event in August, in Natal.
At the SA Marathon event, a number of achievers will be selected to represent South Africa at the ICF World Marathon Championship, which takes place in Pietermaritzburg in September this year.
