New date for Drak Challenge

THE date for the popular N3TC Drak Challenge canoe marathon has been moved two weeks into the season to 1 and 2 February to take better advantage of the changing weather patterns.

The two-day, 75km classic on the Mzimkhulu River has become one of the most popular races on the national canoeing calendar but it is entirely dependent on rainfall to provide river conditions suitable for paddlers.

The last two editions of the race have been held on low rivers as the regular summer rainfalls in the past few years have moved later in the season.

The race organising committee took the bold decision to move the race a few weeks later in the year to try and coincide with better summer rainfall.

Race committee head Lloyd Riggien said: “The last two years we have been frustrated to race on a low river, only to have the rains come literally days after the race. The pictures going out on social media of the full river set this process in motion. One of the realities of climate change is that the summer rainfalls patterns are changing. Most of the local paddlers are farmers and they monitor the weather systems very closely. There is no point fighting it, we just have to adapt and moving the race a few weeks later in the year should bring us into a better rainfall window.”

Visit: www.drakadventure.co.za.

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