Numerous paddlers enjoy going down to the coast to participate in surf ski races in the ocean.
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This changed when Dabulamanzi Canoe Club proverbially brought the ocean to Gauteng several years ago and started hosting its surf ski race.
Held on April 2 at Emmarentia Dam, it saw paddlers from Kempton Park Benoni and Boksburg participate.
Gauteng Canoeing Union’s public relations and media liaison officer, Jennie Dallas, said the High-Altitude Surf Ski
Race has become popular since it began.
Dallas said participants compete on stand-up paddleboards as well as surf ski boats meant for ocean paddling, while the organisers arranged motorboats or jet skis to cruise around the dam to make waves.
“The event is always tremendous fun,” said Dallas.
Chris Rowe, a Kempton Park-based paddler who trains at Homestead Dam with the Ekurhuleni Kayak Club, enjoyed his time in the waves.
Similarly, so did Val Kupferberg from Boksburg and his son James.
Also at the event were Michael Stewart and his son Liam from Benoni, who recently broke a 23-year-old record as the winning father-son team at the Dusi, while Liam finished second in the Umkomaas River Challenge.
Distances that paddlers could enter included a 10km event, a 7km stand-up paddleboard race and a 3km fun stand-up paddle social event.
“It was not an official race, so race times were not recorded,” said Dallas.
She highlighted the 10km event was enjoyed by many active paddlers.
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