Paddlers from the North-West University are excelling in some of SA biggest river races this month.
Bea Steyn finished the Liebensbergvlei River Race as the first woman finisher, winning the women’s race in a time of 2 hours and 45 minutes. Ronald Botha and novice partner, Johannes Britz, also finished the race in 2 hours and 51 minutes. These paddlers are very new to canoeing on rivers, having only been introduced earlier this year. They have enjoyed their river opportunities, having had some fantastic fun and gaining experience at the Fish River in October.
The Liebensbergvlei River Race was hosted by the Bethlehem-based Maluti Canoe Club, in conjunction with the Victoria Lake Canoe Club in Germiston on 4 November. The distance of 31 km started in Reitz and finished in Tweeling, some 45 km before Frankfort.
The river water is pumped from the Lesotho Highlands project into the Ash near Clarens and flows into the Liebensbergvlei through Bethlehem and into the Vaal Dam. It is an exciting stretch of clean fresh water with rolling wave trains, a few shootable weirs and some fun white-water rafting. While enjoyable, it is quite challenging for novices.