Gauteng and KwaZulu-Natal paddlers showcased their skill on the Free State’s Liebensbergvlei River during the South African K2 and K3 River Championships on September 12 and 13.

Paddlers from various clubs in Gauteng participated in the event, hosted by Dabulamanzi Canoe Club, based at Emmarentia Dam (Dabs), as well as groups from KwaZulu-Natal and the Cape for the national competition. The race was thoroughly enjoyable with good, clean, unpolluted water flow, which comes initially from Lesotho into the Ash River, through Bethlehem to the towns of Reitz and Tweeling. A distance of 32km.

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The top finishers over both days were KwaZulu-Natal’s Hamish Lovemore and Keegan Vogt, with a finish time of 03:42:43. They were followed by Clinton Cook, previously a Dabs paddler, and Jeremy Maher, from KwaZulu-Natal, one second later. Gauteng’s Wayne Jacobs and Luke Salmon, from Dabs, finished third in 03:43:42 over both days.

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The first K3 boat finished in fourth place overall with Richard Cele (Victoria Lake Club in Germiston), Sibusiso Chwayi (Dabs), and Benjamin Mntonintshi (Soweto Canoe Club) in a time of 03:46:45 over both days. The second K3 to cross the finish line featured Warren Stead (Victoria Lake Club), and Lloyde Hanson and Peter O’Connor (both Dabs members) in a time of 04:16:00. They took first place in the over-60s age category, followed by the over-40s and open age category with Dabs paddlers Peter Geach, Sheldon Baker and Clive Evans.

The combination of Ryno Armdorf, Gillian Jones and Kaylen Armdorf, who finished as the first mixed combination in a time of 04:25:00 over both days, brought in the fourth K3.
Matthew Ballenden and Renschi van Zyl, from Dabs, finished both days as the third mixed K2 boat to cross the finish line in 02:11:00 on day one and 02:16:00 on day two.

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