South African team excels at gold-panning tourney
Gold panning team makes us proud at international tournament.
It was another successful World Gold Panning Championship for Team South Africa in Biella, Italy.
They collected 11 medals of which four were gold, one silver and six bronze at this year’s tournament, which was held from August 18 to 29.
The tournament attracted teams from Australia, Austria, Belgium, Canada, Czech Republic, Finland, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, The Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Slovakia and Spain.
The medals went to Sharon Khats (bronze in national team), Coen Vermaak (gold in three-man and bronze in national team), Surprise Thulelo (gold in three-man and bronze in national team), Mia Mason (bronze in juniors), Sandra Mthuki (gold three-man team and bronze in national) and Lois Peens (bronze in national team, silver proficient women and gold five-man team).
“It was a great performance and we are proud of the men and women who represented the country with pride and honour at the pinnacle of gold panning,” commented culture, sport and recreation spokesman, Sibongile Nkosi.
South Africa held the previous world championship in Pilgrim’s Rest in 2012 and they won 16 medals to claim the first prize. Gold panning is an easy sport to get into and panners receive a gold pan and a bucket of sand in which a number of gold nuggets are hidden.
The winner must retrieve the most nuggets in the shortest time.
