ERK paddlers beat ‘tricky rapids’ and ‘raging torrents’ in the Crocodile River
The marathon was won by Matthew Millward while Liam Stewart was the ERK's first paddler at the finish.
The East Rand Kayaking (ERK) paddler Liam Stewart was the first member of the Homestead Dam-based club to cross the finish line during the annual TRAC Lowveld Croc Canoe Marathon in Mbombela on October 22.
The Benoni resident arrived at the finish in a time of 02:12 after beating the dangerous rapids on the 30km course in the Crocodile River, finishing in seventh place.
His father, Michael, clocked 02:20 to finish 10th despite some troubles in the water when he got stuck on the rocks and washed backwards down the river.
The event saw 52 paddlers line up to compete in one of the country’s most scenic canoe marathons. The Gauteng Canoe Union (GCU)’s Matthew Millward was the overall winner of one of the country’s most attractive river races.
The ERK veteran Mike Barry, from Boksburg, completed the race in 02:37 with the experienced Richard Tandy crossing the line in a time of 02:54, while Leon Maritz was at the finish in 03:27.
The Springs-based duo of Jonathan Nel and Tommy Booth were among the ERK’s best finishers, with Nel clocking 02:44 and Booth crossing the line in 02:51.
The GCU’s Jennie Dallas heaped praise on the provincial paddlers for beating the harsh conditions and making it to the finish safely.
“The river paddling season is in full swing across the country and our paddlers took on the challenge of the Crocodile River, one of the most technical and tricky rivers in South Africa,” said Dallas.
“The rapids were tricky and the river had huge boulders with sharp corners and raging torrents of water that was released from nearby dams. It required experienced paddlers.
“Fortunately, the tricky part of the river is no longer the crocodiles but the hippos that have been, occasionally, a problem over the years. Thanks to the local farmers who stocked up Lucerne grass to lure the hippos away from the river on the race weekend. Our paddlers did us proud,” she said.
Also Read: Boksburg paddlers impress at SA Canoe Champs
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