The long-awaited national marathon championships took place at Hazelmere Dam in Kwa-Zulu Natal from June 16 to 18.

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Gauteng Canoe Union hosted numerous marathons, long-distance preparation races and a championship race during May to provide opportunities for training and to select the team to represent the province at the championship.

A number of paddlers from Victoria Lake Canoe Club in Germiston participated in the event.

In the U18 category, Helen Jansen van Vuuren finished the K1 (single kayak) 19km race with portages in a time of 01:39 hours. She was fourth in the girls’ category.

The portages are essential to marathon races as there are sections where the paddlers have to take their boats out of the water and run or walk, for a short distance of a few metres, and then put their boats back in the water and get in without falling and wasting time, to continue the race.

Helen also doubled up with Caitlyn Evans to compete in the doubles K2 race to finish as the third U18 girls team, in a time of 01:36 hours.

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Among the many Gauteng youths that participated was Sinenhlanhla Twala, U14 girls from the Victoria Lake Club, who finished her race in 01:28 as the seventh girl.