Dabulamanzi canoeists shine on Crocodile River
EMMARENTIA – Dabs canoeists crowd the podiums at annual river race regarded as one of the toughest in South Africa.
Local canoeists took on one of the most challenging river races in South Africa, the Trac Lowveld Crocodile River race.
The Mpumalanga race is regarded as one of the toughest because the route on the river is technically challenging with fast rapids and narrow, rocky turns, never mind the migrating hippos that occasionally use the river.
This makes it an A+ grade river race and it is compulsory for paddlers to use helmets and have finished at least three A-grade river races for entry.
Young and older canoeists of Dabulamanzi Canoe Club (Dabs) took on this challenge and prevailed handsomely.
Siseko Ntondini, who is not a member of Dabs but often trains there, won the K1 race ahead of Piers Cruikshanks. The two were featured in a book written by Cruickshanks which became a heart-warming movie filmed in South Africa a few years ago when they teamed up to work for a gold medal in the Dusi River race.
Dabs’ Wayne Jacobs finished in third place with Alex Roberts in fourth and Rob Crichton in fifth. That made the podium crowded with paddlers of Dabs.
“Our emphasis on this race is the amazing ability of the older paddlers who also regularly participate and finish the race successfully, despite age and other health issues that they do not allow to deter them,” said Gauteng Canoe Union’s Jennie Dallas.
She added that the club’s Peter O’Connor was one of those heroes, himself admitting it was his favourite river race despite an 800m portage and having to be alert for hippos while carrying his canoe.
He was the only great grandmaster (70 years and older) to finish the race.
Meyer Steyn of Dabs also won the grandmaster (60 to 65 years) category. He regularly paddles on the river as his brother lives nearby.
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