With the goal of becoming A-rated, paddlers start off in a dam or lake on flat water, and master the technique of canoeing. This helps build up the stamina needed to do 10km time trials, 20km races and – eventually – participate in races such the Dusi and Fish River Canoe Marathons. To reach this level this season, young paddlers have been experimenting on rivers, mastering basic skills, learning how to read the river water flows and currents, and discovering what to do in rapids.
A race that paddlers moving from beginner towards A-grade status particularly enjoy is the Sasol Dam to Dam River Canoe Race, a B-grade event. Gauteng Canoe Union’s Jennie Dallas said this race is no less exciting than any of the top tier river races. “It’s busy, with lots of tight, sharp corners, fast pumping river-flow, numerous obstacles, rocks, boulders, bridges, drops, and loads of excitement,” she said.
Earlier this month, Florida Lake Canoe Club’s junior paddlers Tristan Trican and Moshe Nghomane participated in the event. The race started on the Trichardtsfontein Dam with an 8km lap. After that, the paddlers had to portage – carry their canoes – up and over the dam wall, down the other side, and across the veld in order to get back onto the river and paddle the last 10km to the finish at the Tweedraai Dam.
Tristan and Moshe have paddled for the canoe club’s community youth development programme, and the Gauteng Canoe Union School League. They were promised an opportunity to participate in the A-grade Fish River Marathon in the Eastern Cape later this year – on condition that they finished the Sasol Dam to Dam River race.
“The coaches passed Tristan a number of times while he repeatedly emptied his canoe on both the dam and the river. Moshe was hovering in the background watching over his buddy, who had no problems except a cracked, leaky canoe. Tristan would zoom past the coaches after emptying his canoe, only to be located further on, emptying it again,” said Jennie.
The two young paddlers will be looking to fine tune their abilities before heading down to participate in the Fish River Marathon in October.
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