Paddlers showcase their skills at Vaal River marathon
This event is a Dusi Canoe Marathon seeding race and remains a cherished part of South Africa's canoeing calendar.
The Vaal River Canoe Marathon took place on November 18 and 19.
This is a historic canoe race and one of South Africa’s oldest.
It attracts top paddlers from across the nation for two days of challenging river paddling on the iconic Vaal River.
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This event is a Dusi Canoe Marathon seeding race and remains a cherished part of South Africa’s canoeing calendar.
This year’s race was one of the most closely contested races as three boats were locked in battle starting below the dam wall and finishing at Umfula Lodge in Parys.
Germiston’s Victoria Lake paddlers participated in the technical and tough long 70km race.
VLC coach Loveday Zondi together with VLC paddlers Colin Ledwaba and Peter Chissano K3 (three-man kayak) finished the two-day race in a time of 5 hours 27 minutes, as the first K3 to cross the finish line.
Bedfordview resident Josh Loots also enjoyed the wild water rapids and tough slog to the end. With partner Ryno Armdorff they finished the race in a time of 6 hours 14 minutes, as the 19th K2 finishers, and as the second veteran age category finishers.
Jennie Dallas Gauteng Canoe Union Media Liaison said the race was challenging but paddlers enjoyed it.
“The river below the dam wall has tricky windy rapids between boulders and rocks, with shallow rocky shelves, and some deeper gullies.
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“Further below the dam wall towards Three Rivers, the water flow becomes resistant as the flow flattens out due to weirs across the river which paddlers can shoot down a ramp, or portage by carrying boats and walking around them to put back into the water below the weir wall,” said Dallas.
