The Standard Bank One-Day Liebensbergvlei River Race took place on November 21, starting at the Reitz water treatment centre and finishing in Tweeling, an approximate 33km distance to the Zorgvliet farm.
The Liebensbergvlei River continues to flow towards Frankfort and ultimately empties into the Vaal Dam.
The water originates in the Ash River in Clarens, where it is pumped from the Lesotho Highlands Water Project, which is often chilly with melted snow.
Despite the long drive to the river, for Gautengers its worthwhile, as there are few rivers with exciting white water rapids to enjoy closer in Gauteng and it is always enjoyable to experience a different river with wave trains, rapids and fast flow of clean clear water through the farmlands of the Free State.
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The drive for Alex Masina was even longer as he came up from Pietermaritzburg. Masina grew up near Wemmer Pan in the South. As a young boy, he learnt to paddle at the Johannesburg Canoe Club where he soon excelled in the school league races and moved on to rivers, and interprovincial, proving himself to be an amazing paddler.
His commitment and determination resulted in him obtaining sponsorship to attend boarding school in Pietermaritzburg, where he continued to race among the best paddlers found in South Africa, on the Dusi River.
His excellent result at the Liebensbergvlei as the first finisher, in a single K1, in a time of two hours and three minutes, as an u-23 paddler from Varsity College in KZN was very impressive.
Gautengers were thrilled to cheer him on, as a Gauteng protégé, wishing him well in his future and in racing.
With the Dusi taking place in February, it will be interesting to see what he will achieve.
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