National Canoe Marathon Champs gets paddlers ready for international waters
Dabulamanzi Canoe Club paddlers came out in positions at these much anticipated championships.
The South African Canoe Marathon Championships races took place at Roodeplaat Dam from June 14 to 16. It offered national canoeists the opportunity to be selected to represent the country at upcoming international races.
The international team selection will represent the country at the International Canoe Marathon events which will take place in Metkovic, Croatia on September 19–22.
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There was exciting racing among the large group of entrants with excellent results for the Dabulamanzi Canoe Club paddlers. Good competition resulted in an exciting long weekend of racing which included races for the very young (ages 6–12) to gain experience in the guppies race boats all the way through to over 80 years age group competitors.
Luke Salmon who has represented South Africa a number of occasions in recent years, was the first local Gauteng paddler across the finish line of the 20km main race in the U23 men, as seventh K1 in 02:12:00 making him third in the U23 category. Emmarentia resident and Wits student, Jack de Swardt, who also has a good record of achievement in the sport, crossed the line fourth in the same age category, two minutes later, followed by Clinton Cook as 14th paddler in 02:19:00. Salmon and Cook partnered up to take third position in the doubles K2 event.
In the ladies race Dabulamanzi club member Christie Mackenzie was the first female paddler to finish in 02:05:00, a record she has proudly maintained often, while Jessica Lee was the next Dabs local paddler to finish as third sub vet, and Renschi van Zyl, a relatively new paddler to the sport, was 13th.
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In the older age categories, K1 single races have highly competitive club members race against each other for top positions. Michael John Robb was first sub veteran across the finish line in 01:24:00, followed by Robert Crichton as second sub vet. Wayne Jacobs with a record of international participation finished as first veteran of the race with Mike Arthur second, and Alex Roberts third. Mark Garden was first sub master in fourth place, while Matthew Ballenden was fourth master age category. The paddlers also participated in the K2.
The older paddlers also achieved good podium positions in various races including Claude Graham, first sub great great grand master, Peter O’Connor first great grand master and Graham Monteith, first great great grand master.
The veteran ladies achieved well – Elandre Zietsman partnered with Jessica Lee to win the sub veteran age category. Zietsman also won in the singles K1 event in the same age category, and other ladies achieved good positions including Karen Field first sub master category.
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