Local paddlers travelled to Mpumalanga determined to paddle their way to first place titles at the Trac 2020 Lowveld Croc River race held recently.
Jennie Dallas from Gauteng Canoe Union said paddlers started the race from below the Kwena Dam and finished just below Old Joe’s Kaia Guest House.
“A 33 cumec water release from the Inkomati-Usuthu catchment management resulted in rapid paddling with very quick and sharp turns.”
Loveday Zondi was the first paddler from Victoria Lake Canoeing Club (VLC) in Germiston to cross the finish line.
He came in seventh position for the sub veteran age category, in a time of 2 hours 25 minutes.
Richard Cele, a coach at the VLC, finished in 2 hours 33 minutes in fifth place.
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Jennie added the winner of the race was a top Gauteng paddler, Siseko Ntondini from Soweto, in a time of 2 hours 11 minutes.
Bedfordview resident, Greg Smith was the next finisher from VLC, in a time of 2 hours 38 minutes, followed by Uwe Schmidthaus in 2 hours 41 minutes.
Katiso Hlahatsi, now a senior paddler, finished in 2 hours 49 minutes while Grant Conlon was the last finisher from VLC to finish in 3 hours 33 minutes.
Jennie said the Crocodile is one of the more challenging, technically demanding and boat breaking rivers in South Africa.
“Classified for years as an A + grade river race, it is compulsory to wear helmets, and paddlers needed experience on a minimum of three A-grade rivers as an entry requirement.
“The 33km stretch of river with winding corners, narrow, fast-flowing, strewn with rocks, weirs, and islands surrounded by the majestic beauty of the surrounding mountain ranges.”
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.
