Dabulamanzi Canoe Club hosts the Standard Bank Clean Water Challenge

Dabulamanzi Canoe Club paddlers took part in the Standard Bank Clean Water Challenge and came out on top.

October 30, 2024

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Wayne Jacobs and Clinton Cook - Dabulamanzi Canoe Club achievers.

Dabulamanzi Canoe Club (Dabs) recently hosted the Standard Bank Clean Water Challenge, held from Reitz, to Tweeling in the Free State. The event was a two-day race covering a 35km section of river that had major rapids and tricky currents, corners, and rocky sections.

The race was recognised as the Gauteng K1 River Championships and gave way for an opportunity for paddlers to be selected for the team that’ll represent Gauteng at the South African K1 River Championships. Some of Dabs’ top paddlers achieved well in the K1 category. Sarah Field finished sixth in the U18 category, boys and girls, and third female overall in a time of 05:10:00 over the two day race.

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Wayne Jacobs achieved very well, as one of Gauteng’s top paddlers, finishing third overall and 1st in the veteran age category, securing his selection to the South African K1 River Championships team in 04:00:00 over both days. Alex Roberts finished second in the veteran age category, finishing in 04:13:00, and 11th overall. Clinton Cook finished in 10th overall in 04:12:00, while Jack de Swardt was 13th overall over both days, and fourth in the U23 category, with a finishing time of 04:13:00. Ethan Cockram finished in 04:37:00, in 24th place overall, and eighth in the U23 category.

There were also a number of K2 (doubles paddlers) who enjoyed the experience of the competition, the excitement of the river, the clean water, as well as the fitness training and just being in nature.