Local paddlers excel at Florida Lake Canoe Club’s flatwater race marathon
A splashy day out on the Florida Lake as local paddlers participated in the Florida Canoe Club’s second flatwater race marathon on August 19.
Florida Lake Canoe Club (FLCC) hosted its second flatwater race marathon on August 19 which saw several racers paddling for the ultimate bragging rights.
The marathon attracted 87 paddlers across different age categories and race options which are from U8 through to 12 years who paddled a short course of 6km with 14 entries in the guppy race category.
FLCC paddlers Chané Steyn from Laerskool Florida, and Michael Goredema from Hoërskool Roodepoort participated in the 10km short course in the U14 age group and Moshe Nghomane paddled the long course as a senior. Hardus Theunissen partnered with his friend Bruce van Zuydeman from Emmarentia Dam and finished the long course.
Steyn obtained third place in the female category, finishing in a time of 1:28:55 – eighth overall, Goredema finished in fourth place with a time of 1:06:20 and was the second K1 finisher.
Nghomane completed the 20km long course in 1:53:01, securing the eighth spot in the senior age category, and sixth in the single kayak category.
There was also a 10km race which attracted 15 entries – 10 were double kayaks (K2), and five were single kayaks (K1), as well as a longer 20km race for the stronger and fitter paddlers. The 20km race had 27 entries – 19 K2 and eight K1.
Paddlers who were not participating in the race acted as marshalls on the water to check if anybody had problems, and Macdonald Nkosi, who is the club coach, also paddled around for two hours providing safety and assistance where necessary.
