Paddling into 2016
With the world’s toughest endurance canoeing race, the FNB Dusi Canoe Marathon, scheduled for mid-February, Gauteng paddlers wasted no time in kicking off their training for 2016 with an 18km race on Saturday, January 9, at Homestead Dam.
The race, hosted by Ekurhuleni Kayak Club (ERK), provided a seeding opportunity for the upcoming marathon.
It included two, 1km portage sections, where paddlers practice getting out of their boats quickly and smoothly to run with their boats and ensure a smooth, hiccough-free re-entry to the water.
This is where they are likely to lose time and places on the Dusi, as there are numerous places on the river which are unpassable.
The winning teams on Saturday were Alex Roberts from Emmarentia Dam, who partnered with Phineas Zulu from Soweto, as this year’s Dusi will be a K2 (doubles) event.
The pair finished in one hour and 18 minutes.
They were followed a mere seven seconds later by Florida Lake’s team of Shaun Maphanga and Melusi Nxumalo.
Victoria Lake’s Richard Cele and Thomas Ngidi were split seconds behind them making it an incredibly tight finish.
The first Benoni-based paddlers home were the father and son team of Michael and Liam Stewart, who finished in one hour and 24 minutes, while Malcolm Stothard and Mike Barry were the first masters home from the local club.
They finished the race in one hour and 25 minutes.
