The weather couldn’t have been more perfect as paddlers lined up for a great day of racing and training over long distances, with portages to improve fitness and endurance.
With over 100 boats on the water at Homestead Dam in Benoni, the busy event started with the K1 u-14 and upwards at 8am, and finished with the guppy paddlers (u-12 and below).
The race was hosted by the East Rand Kayak Club.
The K1 Championships, held to identify the best Gauteng team for the SA Marathon Championships in Natal during June, was held on Saturday, with the doubles/K2 combinations on Sunday.
The races included running portages with each lap of the lake, which provides training for stamina, endurance and fitness.
The star of the Victoria Lake Canoe Club team for the marathon championships was undoubtedly Katiso Hlahatsi (u-23), from Germiston, who finished the 25.5km K1 race on Saturday in two hours and 23 minutes, just missing a podium position.
Hlahatsi doubled up with fellow club member Colin Ledwaba, also from Germiston, on Sunday, to win the K2 u-23 race in a time of two hours and seven minutes.
Other paddling stories:
Novices test their river skills
VLC’s novice pair comes out tops
