Seeding to prepare for next Dusi

Paddlers from the Victoria Lake Canoe Club at Germiston Lake enjoyed the Johannesburg Canoe Club’s (JCC) 2021 two-day Klip from February 27 to 28 in the Midvaal area, from above Daleside through Henley on Klip, to finish in Meyerton.

Jennie Dallas, the public relations officer of Gauteng Canoe Union, said the club was not able to obtain the necessary permission to host the two-day 33km event.
The days each included a few kilometre portages, which provided the opportunity for paddlers to use the race for qualifying points for A-Grade river status, as well as seeding to start batching at the upcoming March Dusi event.

The first and top finisher was Soweto’s well-known Siseko Ntondini from the movie Beyond the River, holding on to his seeding as top Gauteng paddler. The first lady finisher was also Sowetan-based junior u-18 Tinyiko Mahwayi.

The top finishers at the Dusi training race from Germiston were the coaches from the Victoria Lake Canoe Club, Loveday Zondi and Richard Cele. They finished both days in 3 hours 41 minutes, and 3 hours 48 minutes respectively.

Benjamin Cockram from Kensington finished as the second master paddler for the over 50 leagues in a time of 4 hours 16 minutes, while young junior Helen Janse van Vuuren partnered with Robert Hamer to finish the race in 5 hours 37 minutes as the first mixed-double boat (male/female combination) in a time of 5 hours 37 minutes.

Dallas added that due to the huge hail and rainstorms in the Alberton and Henley areas on February 26, the river was in full flood with participants paddling over low-level bridges.

The running portage took place around the Henley Kidson Weir for safety in grasslands on the banks that were saturated and swamp-like. While some of the rapids flattened out with no rocks insight and were easier to manoeuvre.

Others were very challenging, with powerful waves tossing the boats up in the air, which resulted in several swimmers and a few broken boats. “This was a challenging and exciting river race, perhaps on par with what can be expected from a full Dusi in March since Inanda Dam is full.”

Dallas acknowledged the local Heineken factory, which donated cases of 0 per cent alcohol beverages and gifts as prizes for the race.

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The ‘MyLife Dusi’ will take place from March 28 to 30. “The event was delayed by a month due to the Covid-19 restrictions. “It will be a three-day endurance paddling event, including carrying the boat, running up the hills in the valley of 1 000 hills and through the winding dales of KwaZulu-Natal.”

Dallas added the river race on the Dusi was first run by a group of ex-army men in the ’60s led by Ian Player, Gary Player’s brother, and a group of comrades. It was hosted annually since.

Contact the newsroom by emailing: Marietta Lombard (Editor) germistoncitynews@caxton.co.za,  or (Journalists) Busi Vilakazi busiv@caxton.co.za , and Lebogang Sekgwama lebogangs@caxton.co.za.