Paddlers alive at Florida Lake
Florida Lake Canoe Club hosts the Gauteng Canoe Union Marathon series.
The Gauteng Canoe Union’s marathon series of races came to life once again at Florida Lake Canoe Club (FLCC) on Saturday, May 3.
According to Jennie Dallas, Gauteng Canoe Union media liaison, the event aimed to boost participation and competition by introducing a points allocation system that rewards consistent participation and strong performances.
Jennie says it was also set to prepare the paddlers for the Gauteng Marathon Championships, set to take place on May 31 and June 1 at Homestead Dam in Benoni.
“The FLCC race was a K1 [single kayak] event, although double kayaks were welcome to participate. The races were categorised into several groups, including Men’s and Women’s long course [20km], Juniors’ long course, and dash race [10km] for both men and women.
“The U12 guppy races [3km] were also a highlight, with young paddlers showcasing their skills,” she said.
Aayan Judy, a U8 paddler, was the youngest participant to earn a medal for completing the race. His sister, Aara, impressed with a fourth-place finish overall and first female in the U12 age category.
In the short course, U14 David Miller took the top spot with a time of 54 minutes and 34 seconds. Clinton Cook dominated the main long course, finishing in one hour and 32 minutes, while Gabriela van Rooyen was the fastest female with a time of two hours and five minutes.
FLCC’s Michael Goredema earned his medal with a third-place finish overall and first place in the U16 category, completing the course in one hour and three minutes.
