Canoeist do Dabs proud
EMMARENTIA – Dabs canoeists do proud in Cradock, Eastern Cape.
Dabulamanzi (Dabs) Canoe Club can be proud of its members who earned podium finishes at the recent Fish River Canoe Marathon.
The A grade canoe marathon, which covers a distance of 80km, takes place annually in Cradock, Eastern Cape.
“The river has a guaranteed farmers water release during this period and the mostly dry river, becomes a raging torrent of exciting challenging adrenalin rushing wave trains,” said Gauteng Canoe Union public relations officer, Jennie Dallas.
Numerous chutes have been built over the weirs on the river to control the water flow when the water is released from the Grassridge Dam above Cradock.
Dabs canoeist and former club chairperson, Wayne Jacobs partnered with world marathon canoeing champion, Hank McGregor in the K2 race (two paddlers) and the pair outpaced the pack in the last 5km and took second place by a mere five split seconds.
They completed the marathon in 4:42:44, just behind Stuart Maclaren and Jasper Mocke in 4:42:39.
“We basically led from start to finish and there were competitors taking turns to challenge us,” Jacobs said.
“We had to make the call whether to sit and wait or push for the win. We pushed and it backfired on us because at one rapid to go we had nothing left to give and they overtook us. We still had lots of fun on the weekend.”
In the K1 race, Dabs 18-year-old Warren Thiel was the first finisher on the short course.
This B-rated course is on the same river but has two sections adding up to 46km. Thiel finished in a total time of 1:11:20 over the two days.
“The shorter section is also filled with exciting and highly technical challenges,” said Dallas.
Thiel has earned an athletics scholarship to Charleston University in West Virginia, United States of America, and his availability as a result of athletic commitments made it difficult for him to gain fitness as well as experience to take on the longer race.
Details: Dabulamanzi Canoe Club info@dabulamanzi.co.za; 011 486 0979.
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