Howard wins at Vaal race
Howard is a retired part time farmer in Kempton Park and has been paddling for more than 50 years
A retired part time Kempton farmer took on the annual Gauteng Canoe Union K2 (doubles) River Championship Race, hosted by Johannesburg Canoe Club, at the weekend.
Mike Howard, nearly 70 years of age, who has recently returned from competing in the World Masters Championships in Oklahoma, merrily took on the slog of the Vaal River Marathon Championships, finishing in a time of 5 hours 56 minutes over the two days and nearly 70km. Howard has been paddling for more than 50 years. He partnered with younger Graham Holm, a surfski paddler, to win the younger age category – the sub grand master age group (under 60).
The race took place over two days from the Vaal Dam wall near Deneysville over 32km on the first day to finish at Three Rivers, a long shallow slog with a number of tired paddlers arriving at the finish. Day two started below the barrage and with a water release, both days were more pleasant than normal paddling on the Vaal, and some 30km later paddlers struggled in to the finish at the Smiling Thru’ Holiday Resort upriver from Parys.
With 8km of enjoyable and challenging rapids at the start of the race and plenty of flat water afterwards, making up good resistance training, paddlers built up their stamina and endurance as they prepared for the major river race of the year, the 120km Dusi, in February.
