Dam becomes a wave pool
EMMARENTIA – Waves form as surf ski championships are held at Emmarentia Dam.
Nicholas Zaal
nicholasz@caxton.co.za
EMMARENTIA – The water at Emmarentia Dam had never been disturbed as much as it was on 9 May. This was because Dabulamanzi Canoe Club hosted its extremely popular, although unorthodox, Adreach Gauteng High Altitude Surf Ski Championships 2015. About 145 people participated in 120 boats, including surf skis and standup paddle boards. Surf skis are designed for the sea. So speed boats circled the dam to generate waves during the event.
To add to this, the vigorous splashing from all the oars created enough surge to cast a few of the paddle boarders overboard. The surf skiers competed for 12 laps (12km) while the paddle boarders competed for six laps (6km). Andy Birkett, who won his fifth Dusi Canoe Marathon in February, won the singles surf ski category in 00:54:50.
“It was a lekker jol,” he said. “I had a slow start and had to chase afterwards. There was a lot of banter on the water.”
Four times winner of the World Surf Ski Series Dawid Mocke came second. Dave Hamilton-Brown and Wayne Jacobs won the doubles surf ski category in 00:53:23. “We got away at the start, which is good, because it is hard to catch up,” Hamilton-Brown said.
Chris Couve won the standup paddle board category in 00:40:17. Chairperson of the club Tony Purchase said, “We had a big entry, with people coming from Durban and Cape Town. The weather was brilliant and it was a very successful day.”
Details: Dabulamanzi Canor Club 011 486 0979.
