THE 22km Klip River race on Sunday, August 23, from the Meyerton Sportgrounds to the Vaal River Junction at Three Rivers, was a clear indication that winter is over and that serious training for the river race season is in full swing.
Paddlers were back on the water for this race hosted by the Johannesburg Canoe Club, based at Wemmer Pan.
Female paddlers, new learner paddlers, first time river racers and Johannesburg Canoe Club members were out in full force as even the dormant paddlers were back in training before the 80km Fish River Canoe Marathon in October. A number of first time river racers were hoping to earn enough points to qualify for the A-grade river race.
The three-man K3 boat has become extremely popular in South Africa and is a fantastic opportunity to introduce new learner paddlers to white water as they plough through the waves and fast currents.
The first finishing K3 at the race was Johannesburg Canoe Club’s Grant van der Merwe with new paddler Claire Zulstra and Norman Andrews who finished the race in 1:43. Michael Roy, Derrick Oliver and Willie du Plessis finished in second place as the first sub-master age category with a time of 1:47. The third finishing K3 was also from Johannesburg Canoe Club, Anthony Phelp with Paul and Anthony Chappel in a time of 1:50.
