Elands Memorial Race rises to higher levels

The race is now in its eighth year and is organised by the Lowveld Canoe Club (LCC), in memory of club member Leatitia Scheepers who drowned during a practice run in 2009. Her race number was 3338.

Notwithstanding the current drought, 2016 was a fantastic year for LCC members. With many races across South Africa being cancelled, including the two local races being the 3338 Elands and TRAC N4 Lowveld Croc in 2016, LCC remained focused and continued to train hard at their home, Longmere Dam.

Also read: Action from the 3338 Elands Memorial canoe race

LCC had great success at the races that did take place in 2016.

Craig Lewis and Rob Bolton finished fourth in the veteran category at the Dusi Canoe Marathon in KwaZulu-Natal.
Wihan Venter and Lewis partnered the Umkomaas Canoe Marathon and placed 21st overall. The two-day Klip Canoe Marathon’s veteran category was won by Lewis and Bolton.

In the Hansa Fish River Marathon in the Eastern Cape, Gerhard Steyn was the third subgrandmaster and Gustav Smook Sr and Gustav Smook Jr was the first father-and-son combination.

Ant Baird completed the 50 Miler as the second subveteran while Steyn was the first subgrandmaster in the Liebenbergsvlei race.

Also read: Veteran paddlers take silver in race

Gustav Sr and Gustav Jr took top honours at the annual Breede Canoe Marathon where they won the father-and-son combination. Earlier this year Gustav Sr placed first in the submaster category at the classic two-day river marathon in Underberg, the Drak Challenge and his son got bronze in the u/16 category.

The 3338 Elands Memorial Race, sponsored by Waterwatch, starts at 10:00 with entries available on the Gauteng Canoe Union website.

The race starts about 57 kilometres from Mbombela on the N4 past Sappi and is a 24 kilometre adrenalin-filled race with lots of sharp turns and exciting rapids. It finishes at Lindenau Farm.