Local kayak club places well at recent event
The single kayaks (K1) raced on Saturday but the race was called off due to the lightning alarms.
Gauteng hosted the marathon championships for singles (K1) and doubles (K2) racing canoes recently at Germiston Lake, hosted by Victoria Lake Canoe Club.
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“The East Rand members of the ERK (Ekurhuleni Kayak Club based at Homestead Dam in Benoni) have always been strong at marathon races and on the portage and had some tough competition,” said Jennie Dallas, Gauteng Canoe Union media liaison.
Local Michael Stewart partnered with Lowveld’s Gustav Radloff to finish in first place in the Master Age Category in one hour and 40 minutes.
Local Mike Barry partnered with Malcolm Stothard, based in Edenvale, to complete the doubles race in a time of one hour and 53 minutes, to finish in second in the Sub-Grandmaster age category and are looking forward to competing at the World Masters Marathon competition at the International Canoe Federation (ICF) World
Marathon Championships in Romania on September 28 and 29.
Local and son to Michael Stewart, Liam, was the first u-23 K1 finisher, although his official race on Saturday was cancelled mid-paddle due to lightning.
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“He finished in a single kayak in a time of one hour and 47 minutes,” said Dallas.
The K1s raced on Saturday but the race was called off due to the lightning alarms, while the K2s finished their 21km race on Sunday.
“Marathons always include portages (with exceptions based on specific ages) as per the ICF World Marathon Championship requirements, where paddlers have to smoothly and efficiently get out of their boats and run a short distance carrying them, a few times, before getting back into the water effectively to continue their race,” she said.
The team to represent Gauteng at the upcoming South African Marathon Championships will be selected based on the results from the event from May 21 to 23 in the Western Cape, where a South African team will be identified to represent SA at the ICF World Marathon Championships.
