Gauteng Canoe Union hosted the provincial sprint race at Victoria Lake Canoe Club in Germiston on February 5.

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The race was an opportunity for the selection of the Gauteng team to represent the province at the upcoming South African Sprint Championships, which will be held in Cape Town from April 23 to 25.

The event will be held at the Lomond Dam in the Western Cape.

“Sprinting is one of the highest-recognised Olympic events and it is vital to introduce canoeists from a young age to this fast-exciting race,” said Jennie Dallas, Gauteng Canoe Union PRO.

“The sprint races take place in lanes, separated by buoys. From the far end of the lake, the paddlers race in their lanes to the finish within their lane.”

The event also doubled as the first 2022 Gauteng Canoe Union Schools League event and for juniors aiming to take part in the South African Schools League Championships at the end of April.

“A Gauteng team reflecting all ages from u-8 to the great grandmasters was identified and the paddlers are training to challenge the other racers at the interprovincial event,” said Dallas.

Victoria Lake had several paddlers who took part in the event and were selected to take part in the SA Champs in April.

They were u-8 Kaylen Thato Armdorf, Ethan Sanoke as well as Bokomoso Nhlapo in u-12, An-Che Greyling u-12 girls, and in the wake of her international competition in Europe last year, Helen Jansen van Vuuren was selected in the u-18 age group.

Katiso Hlahatse was selected as a senior having raced as a child and had been selected in numerous events over the years, and Kyle Armdorff raced in the u-12 event.