Paddlers off to SA champs
Two local VLC paddlers have secured their selection to the Gauteng team.
Gauteng’s Marathon Championships (GCU) took place on May 7 and 8 at Homestead Dam in Benoni.
Hosted by ERK (Ekurhuleni Kayak Club), paddlers faced windy, choppy, overcast and chilly conditions.
The South African Marathon Championships take place in the Western Cape, this year, on June 11 and 12 and the GCU Marathon Championships provided trials which enable the conveners to identify and select paddlers in various age categories to represent Gauteng at the event.
The paddlers’ performances at the SA Marathon Championships could lead to selection for the International Canoe Marathon events scheduled for later in the year.
A number of paddlers 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 and run the short portage distance carrying their boats, for a smooth get-in.
Colin Ledwaba and Katiso Hlahatsi from Victoria Lake Canoe Club’s team based at Germiston Lake, won the u-23 age category in the K2 (double canoe) discipline, finishing the 22.5km race which included six laps and five portages (where the paddlers run with the boat), in a time of one hour 40 minutes.
The win secured the pair’s selection to the Gauteng team.
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