Dabulamanzi Canoe Club is ready to open soon
EMMARENTIA – Local canoeing club looks to open in the next few days.
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Canoeing South Africa has applied for a licence to operate under the new regulations for lockdown Level 3, and Dabulamanzi Canoe Club will reopen as soon as the umbrella body receives this.
Canoeists have been paddling at Emmarentia Dam recently as part of their own exercise routines, but the club itself must wait for official permission before it can start hosting events and training again.
Club chairperson, Graham Neate said Canoeing SA applied for the licence on 12 June and was supposed to hear from government within 14 days of this. This means an opening of the canoe clubs is imminent.
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“Canoeing SA have granted us certification and we have all the protocols in place for official training,” Neate said.
“Currently, people are paddling in their individual capacity as their daily form of exercise.”
But once Dabs is running again, it will have to implement safety measures under guidelines provided by Canoeing SA and approved by government.
“Canoeing is a safe sport, in terms of catching a virus from someone else, and people need the exercise,” Neate said.
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He encouraged anyone interested to contact the club about taking up the sport when legislation allows it.
Before lockdown Level 3, some members of the canoeing club had even taken to paddling in swimming pools to stay fit.
Also read: Dabulamanzi Canoe Club members paddle in their swimming pools during the lockdown
Details: Dabulamanzi Canoe Club info@dabulanzico.za; 083 440 3349.