Local paddles with Olympian
Mbala finished the two-day 64km event in a time of 4 hours 50 minutes
FOR a change the weather in the Free State co-operated and the 64km two-day river race hosted by Dabulamanzi Canoe Club (Emmarentia Dam) and sponsored by Eurosteel from Reitz to Tweeling had superb weather.
The river flows well as water is pumped from the Lesotho Highlands Project to the Vaal Dam and there are enormous enjoyable fun wave trains around corners for the paddlers to enjoy their buildup of stamina and gain good seeding for the upcoming A grade Hansa Fish Canoe Marathon in October in Cradock.
Kempton Park’s U/16 Zanenhlahla Mbala finished third in his age group and may not have realised the honour of having the Olympian 2012 bronze medallist, Bridgette Hartley, passing him on the first corner of the 32km race on day 1.
Hartley, who recently returned from the 2016 Rio Olympics, enjoyed the river race and was naturally the winning woman.
Mbala finished the two-day 64km event in a time of 4 hours 50 minutes, while Hartley’s winning time was 4 hours 19 minutes.
