GCU host successful school race

The Victoria Lake Canoe Club played host to the Gauteng Canoe Union School League’s sprint races, on February 27.

March 7, 2016

Leigh Hodgson 1 minute read

Local paddler Jaemi Wellisch, from St Catherine’s School, lines up for her 500m sprint in the Gauteng Canoe Union School League’s sprint races. The races were held at Germiston Lake on February 27.

The tranquil water of Germiston Lake was the venue for the Gauteng Canoe Union School League’s sprint races, on February 27.

The junior canoeists who took to the water represented various clubs and schools throughout Gauteng and its surrounding provinces.

Hosted by the Victoria Lake Canoe Club, the event gave the young paddlers a chance to prepare for the annual SA School Inter-provincial Sprint races, which take place aton Shongweni Dam, in KwaZulu-Natal, at the end of March.

St Catherine’s School student Jaemi Wellisch, a VLC member, competed in the u-16 category.

She finished the 200m sprint in one minute and 21 seconds, the 500m sprint in three minutes and 45 seconds, and the 1 000m sprint in seven minutes and 42 seconds, placing fourth overall in the girls’ u-16 age group and earning 16 points for her school and club.

Paddlers earn points for every race they finish throughout the year at various dams/lakes, and these accumulate towards the year’s overall total for themselves as individuals, the school they represent and the club where they train.

Awards are presented to the top achievers in all age groups at the end of the year.