Gauteng Canoe union clubs hosted a series of marathon training races
The marathon training races encouraged paddlers to be championship ready.
With winter here, paddlers geared up for the finals of the marathon series of races hosted by clubs throughout Gauteng.
The races prepared the paddlers for the Gauteng Canoeing Marathon Championships, where teams are selected to represent the province at the South African National Canoe Marathon Championships in St Francis Bay from June 15 to 17.
In April and May, the Gauteng Canoe Union clubs hosted a series of marathon training races to encourage paddlers to work on their fitness and motivate them for the provincial marathon championships on June 3 and 4 at the Ekurhuleni Racing Kayaking Club based at the Homestead Dam in Benoni.
There were races for the U12 (Guppies) of 2.5 km and the 10km race for all ages who were not fit enough to do the 21km race. Both races included a short portage where the paddlers exited the water and ran or walked with their boat for a short distance before putting it back into the water.
June 3 was the K1 (single kayak) race, and June 4 was the doubles race (K2).
While sprint races are short distances, marathons are longer at 10km or 21km.
Bert Matruje from the Johannesburg Canoe Club at Wemmer Pan participated in the K1 21km race, finishing in 00:02:04 as the fifth U23.
He partnered with Thabo Selela in the K2 race on Sunday, finishing in 00:01:53 to come second.
