Local paddles Liebenbergsvlei River
Springsite Tye Wood joined paddlers from all over South Africa in the Free State for a two-day river race on the Liebensbergvlei River.
Springsite Tye Wood joined paddlers from all over South Africa in the Free State for a two-day river race on the Liebensbergvlei River.
The water is pumped from the Lesotho Highlands dam project, into the Ash River in Clarens, and is freezing cold with melted snow for a few months in the year.
It runs through to Bethlehem, and through tiny farm villages called Reitz and Tweeling, past Frankfurt and into the Vaal Dam to stabilise the water level by arrangement between the governments.
The paddlers enjoyed the challenge on the river with wild white water, currents, wave trains, corners with rocky shelves as well as a few weirs and rock-invested downhills to add to the excitement.
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The 30km section was raced on September 16 and 17 and was made up of three races starting at Reitz Water Works and ending in Tweeling on a farm called Zorgvliet.
According to Jennie Dallas of the Gauteng Canoe Union, the ERK based at Homestead Dam had a few members who participated in the event including top international achievers Michael Stewart and David Gerber.
The team’s boat, unfortunately, sustained some damage which affected their position in the race, but they finished comfortably.
“Well done to the new learner paddlers taking on quite a challenge for their first river race, having recently achieved their river proficiency certification to enable them to enter.
“From one extreme to the other, beginners to heroes, Jonathan Nel based in Boksburg, a member of the Benoni Canoe Club and Tye Wood who originates from Springs had a super time.
“They enjoyed the new challenges and managed very well despite the huge difference between the previous week’s Vaal River section and this wild water challenge.
“They paddled past the mielie fields on the farms between the little towns, scraping over rocky shelves and fighting through huge wave trains,” explained Dallas.
The pair finished comfortably in 4 hours 38 minutes over the two days, as 22nd K2 (2 Man Kayak). The race was hosted by Dabulamanzi Canoe Club based at Emmarentia Dam.
