Boksburg Grand Master makes Gauteng team
Gauteng's Marathon Championships took place on May 7 and 8 at the Homestead Dam in Benoni, hosted by ERK (Ekurhuleni Kayak Club) in some windy, overcast and chilly conditions.
Breeds and Kupferberg in training for Fish River
This championship provided trials for the South African Marathon Championships which take place on June 11 and 12 in the Western Cape this year.
It served therefore as an opportunity for convenors to identify and select candidates from various age categories to represent Gauteng at the event, which leads to selection for the International Canoe Marathon events scheduled for later in the year.
A number of paddlers who are members of the ERK Club based at Homestead are strong marathon paddlers, especially those who are running fit, as during the portages they can easily make up time if they can get out of their boats quickly and smoothly.
This enables them to run the short portage distance carrying their boats for a smooth get-in.
Eduaan Dippenaar recently moved to Boksburg and has always been a top South African sprinter.
He tried his hand at the marathon event in the K1 category, finishing the 22.5km race, which consisted of six laps of the dam, and five portages after each lap, in 1 hour 52 minutes among strong competition in the u-23 category.
John Rowan from Boksburg partnered with Grand Master (over 50) Keith Beeston to finish the K2 event in 1 hour 49 minutes.
The older age group paddlers finished an 18.9km race, with five laps and four portages.
The Grand Masters secured their selection to the Gauteng team. – @SabeloBoksburg
Local paddlers finish third in canoe race | Boksburg Advertiser
