The hippo at the Crocodile
The canoe marathon hosted on the Crocodile River is one of the most difficult and technical river races in the country.
The A+ rated canoe marathon hosted on the Crocodile River in the Lowveld of Mpumalanga, by the Nelspruit-based canoe club, is one of the most difficult and technical river races in South Africa.
Compulsory helmets are required as well as triple A river rating in order to compete.
The canoe race of 20km per day is growing in popularity as one of the most demanding and challenging races with fast flowing water released into the narrow river bed, and the top finishers are recognised at the Gauteng Canoe Union as the K1 River Kings.
The race is fast and furious and boat breaks are quick, requiring superb river skills and fast reflexes.
Among the challenges for the Lowveld Canoe Club organisers and scouts are keeping the local hippo at a distance from the racers.
Dumping loads of lucerne at local farm dams to attract the migrating hippo and ensuring that the canoe race only takes place in the upper Crocodile River near the Kwena Dam just past Waterval Boven, are among the ways to combat the possible presence of hippo in the river.
The scouts from the local Lowveld Canoe Club still identified a hippo taking a dip in the section of the river where the race was to run, forcing a compulsory portage where the paddlers had to get out of the water upriver from the hippo’s pool and run a detour around bush and shrubbery to put in further down – to add to the challenges and difficulty of the race.
Daryn Koertzen who attended Krugersdorp High School and has lived in Krugersdorp since childhood, enjoys the challenge of the Lowveld Crocodile River and finished in 25th position, in a time of four hours 53 minutes.
Wayne Taylor from the far West area also completed the race as 74th finisher.
