The Dabulamanzi Canoe Club in Emmarentia hosted the annual Dambusters on January 15 to assist paddlers to train for the Dusi River Race which takes place from February 17 to 19 this year.
The upcoming Dusi event is 120km over three days and has a number of portages where paddlers have to take their boat out of the river and carry it for a few kilometres through the rural areas of KwaZulu-Natal.
The training race at Emmarentia Dam, therefore, included a 3km portage section where paddlers had to practise getting out of the water and getting back into the dam.
Jennie Dallas of the Gauteng Canoe Union explained that some years there are low water levels resulting in up to 18kms of portage where the river is unnavigable.
The event at Emmarentia Dam included an 18km paddle and 3km portage.
The winning boat was Dabulamanzi Canoe Club paddlers Wayne Jacobs from Craighall Park and Rob Crighton in a time of 01:29:00.
Sandtonites Alex Roberts headed up a three-man kayak with Michael-John Robb and Ryan Rodda to finish in second in 01:33:36.
The top finishing juniors were learners at St David’s Marist Luke Salmon and Chris Erwee who finished 11th overall in 01:45:00.
Mohammed Patel and Neil Barrow from Hurlingham finished at 01:51:00 as the first veterans.
The Johannesburg Canoe Club is set to host the two-day Klip River Race on January 22 and 23 with a number of portages in the current flooded situation to provide further opportunities to prepare for the Dusi.
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