Training for the mighty Berg River race
MIDRAND - Resident Roy Clegg is determined to finish his ninth Berg River Canoe Marathon, the longest river race in South Africa.
Clegg, a member of the Victoria Lake Canoe Club based in Germiston, is once again hoping to conquer the gruelling four-day 240km river marathon from 14 to 18 July.
Participants will have to endure the cold wind and highest rainfall season in the Western Cape, amid the beautiful snow covered mountains and wine valleys from Paarl to Velddrif.
To assist Gauteng canoeists to train for the marathon, their clubs host tough winter races to give them opportunities to gain fitness and build their endurance.
The Gerhard Nel Memorial Race on the Vaal River near Vanderbijlpark, hosted by Watuni Canoe Club is one of these races. The race usually provides a perfect 25km cold flat river race with no shelter from the icy Free State winds which is great for Berg River conditioning. However, Mother Nature did not get the memo. It turned out to be a wonderful sunny, warm winter day with paddlers taking their beanies and gloves off half way through the race.
Clegg finished the race in fifth position, winning the veteran category.
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