Gerber on top at Vaal River Marathon
He won the race in 05:43:18 with Nick Warren second and Herman Marais in third place.
East Rand Kayaking (ERK) paddler Dawie Gerber won the two-day ADG Vaal River Canoe Marathon on November 18 and 19.
Riding solo in his K1 kayak, Gerber beat the windy rapids and found his way around the giant boulders on the 70km route to win the Dusi Marathon qualifying race.
Lining up at the start on the wall of the Vaal Dam on opening day, the paddler completed the 37km stretch to Albatross Ski Boat Club in Three Rivers in 02:43:13.
On day two after a tough 37km on the meandering river, he arrived at the finish at Umfula Lodge in Parys in 03:00:05 to win the K1 category in a combined time of 05:43:18.
Nick Warren took the silver medal in a time of 06:05:15 and Herman Marais was third, arriving at the finish 18 seconds after Warren.
ERK paddlers on top in K2
The veteran Michael Stewart and partner Michael Robb finished in the top 10 in the K2 category in a combined time of 05:11:59.
The pair finished the 32km distance on the first day in 02:26:28 in fifth place and finished the last 37km on day two in 02:45:30.
They ended in ninth place on the overall standings and were second in the sub-veteran masters’ category.
Rynfield vet Pieter Engelbrecht and partner, Matthew Ballenden won the sub-grand masters’ category after completing the race in 05:30:28. They finished 15th overall.
Stewart’s son, Liam and his partner Mark Garden finished in 12th place in 05:18:49 while Boksburg residents and East Rand Kayaking (ERK) teammates Jonathan Nel and Richard Tandy, were 16th.
The ERK stalwart Mike Barry teamed up with Vallon Kupferberger. The pair finished the race 17th overall and were the first masters to cross the line, winning the gold in their category.
Clinton Cook and Luke Salmon walked away with the title with Benjamin Mntonintshi and Siseko Ntondini in second place. Veteran campaigners Wayne Jacobs and Robert Critchton rounded up the podium.
Gauteng Canoe Union PRO Jennie Dallas commended the athletes for their hard work, despite the tough conditions on the route.
“The river below the dam had tricky and windy rapids between the boulders and rocks with shallow rocky shelves and deeper gullies.
“Further below the dam wall to Three Rivers, the water flow became resistant and the athletes had to work hard as the flow flattened out due to weirs across the river,” she said.
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