Paddlers take to the water

It was an exciting day of paddling at the Germiston Lake, on Sunday, when new and experienced paddlers braved the chilly water to compete.

The day started at 8am, with the Victoria Lake Club (VLC) hosting a 24km flat race.

The open Gauteng Canoeing Union (GCU) event saw K1, K2 and even K3 craft competing in the gruelling eight-lap race.

Members from Victoria Lake Club, the Dabulamanzi, Ekurhuleni and Soweto canoe and recreation clubs competed in the event.

Siseko Ntondini won the K1 division in a time of 2:00:29, with Wayne Jacobs and Phineas Zulu coming in second and third, respectively.

Tom Ngcobo and Sipho Qoko, from the Soweto Canoe and Recreation Club, won the K2 event in a time of 2:09:38, ahead of Anna Clifford and Nigel Harvey, while Josh Loots, Renier Kruger and Richard Cele, from Victoria Lake, won the K3 division in a time of 2:15:17.

This race was followed by the Schools League races, which saw youngsters from u-8 to u-18, from Soweto, Secunda, Fourways, Germiston, Roodepoort and Parys, competing in a marathon-style event (with different age groups doing different distances).

For many of these children it was the first time they would be competing in such an event.

“The children have been introduced to a number of water sports through the Watersport Development Project,” said Eddie Thage, a sports development officer.

“The programme ensures that each child is exposed to the three sporting codes, namely rowing, sailing and canoeing, and also taught basic water safety.”

The younger paddlers earned points in each heat, both individually and for their schools, which will be carried forward to the next events, which will be held at Emmarentia Dam on October 15, and Homestead Dam on November 6.

A prize-giving will be held at the end of the race year, when the top schools and paddlers will be honoured.

Other articles you may be interested in:

Children learn all about sailing, canoeing and rowing at the Germiston Lake

Gauteng paddlers attend exciting workshop

Local paddlers are training hard for upcoming canoe marathon