VLC Flat Race a hit with paddlers
Victoria Lake Canoe Club (VLC) hosted the annual Bearing Vision Flat Race at Germiston Lake ahead of the Gauteng Canoe Union's (GCU) Marathon Championships and the South African Marathon Championships.
The Gauteng Canoe Union’s (GCU) Marathon Championships and the South African Marathon Championships are just around the corner.
Paddlers were offered an ideal opportunity to finalise their preparation for the events at Victoria Lake Canoe Club’s (VLC) Bearing Vision Flat Race at Germiston Lake, recently.
“The VLC Flat Race has been around for almost as long as VLC, so I believe it’s probably in its 45th year,” explained Wayne Saunders, club chairperson.
“Historically the event was always held in August as a build-up event for the Fish River Canoe Marathon held in the Eastern Cape.
“However, three years ago when we took on our new sponsor Bearing Vision, we moved the event to May to rather coincide with the build-up to Gauteng Canoe Union’s (GCU) Marathon Championships and the South African Marathon Championships.
“In doing so we changed the format slightly to suit the canoeists preparing for these events.”
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The 18km paddle (shortened from 20km to ensure a good tester without too much lactic acid build-up ahead of the GCU championships) incorporated short portages which competitors had to complete after every second lap.
Saunders explained that the weather conditions were ideal for the race.
“We couldn’t have wished for better racing conditions,” he said.
“Although the event was not as well attended as we had hoped, it did attract some of Gauteng’s top contenders for the upcoming championships.”
The K1 was a very tactical affair with none of the top paddlers willing to show their cards and put down the hammer early on in the nine-lap course.
Only in the final portage, with just one lap to go, did Clinton Cook (who won the VLC Night Race earlier this year) execute a clean swift portage and took the initiative to put some distance between himself and the rest of the leading pack, powering away.
“Cook’s form clearly demonstrated why he will be one of the top contenders at this year’s SA Marathon Championships, which will be held at Gauteng’s Cradle Moon between June 15 and 17,” commented Saunders.
Cook (from Dabulamanzi) won the race in one hour, 27 minutes and 39.51 seconds, an impressive one minute and 30 seconds ahead of second-placed Loveday Zondi (from VLC).
Coming in third was Wongama Makasi (from Soweto Canoe Club) in a time of one hour, 29 minutes and 50.44 seconds.
Makasi had to put in a huge final surge to pip Pieter Engelbrecht (from East Rand Kayak) to the finish line.
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The first woman across the finish line was Alexis Rich (from Dabulamanzi) who had an ongoing tussle with veteran Croline Filmalter (from Watuni).
She, however, managed to finish the race a comfortable 20 seconds ahead of Filmalter in a time of one hour, 43 minutes and 27.57 seconds.
“Alexis, who is still u-18, is certainly a future star to watch out for,” said Saunders.
In the K2 race, Moshe Nghomani and Macdonald Nkosi crossed the line ahead of Douw Kruger and Shaun Maphanga.
While Roelof Greyling, Paul Nel and Ryan Booysen were the first K3 team across the line.
The event was deemed a great success.
“All in all it was a great morning and a fantastic overall family canoeing event,” said Saunders.
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