Emile Theunissen was one of 150 paddlers in Gauteng who completed the Gauteng High Altitude Surfski Championships. The Florida Lake Canoe Club paddler excelled in the 10km race and finished in a time of 53 minutes as the fourth placed U/23 finisher.
“Surfski races along the coast line have been growing in popularity and Gauteng paddlers were feeling left out, especially as the limited number of rivers in the province are becoming more polluted,” said Gauteng Canoe Union’s Jennie Dallas.
The annual Gauteng High Altitude Surfski Championships race has taken the paddling community by storm. It has been going from strength to strength with sponsorships from Euro Steel, Adreach, Fenn, Set and a number of private individuals. Top celebrity paddlers such as multiple Dusi winner Andrew Birkett, World Surfski, Dusi and marathon champion Hank McGregor, Olympian Bronze medallist Bridgitte Hartley and World Surfski champion Jasper Mocke competed in the event.
Siseko Ntondini and Piers Cruickshanks also added to the celebrity status on the water. The two paddlers whose challenges when partnering up despite diverse backgrounds inspired a movie which will be released in South Africa in April. One is from Moatsoledi informal township in Orlando Park Soweto, while the other is an English teacher in Rosebank.
The race was hosted at the Emmarentia Dam on 4 March, with participants paddling 10 laps around the dam, making up a 10km hard, fast, time trial.
To simulate the challenging surf conditions, a number of motorboats and jetski’s were used. Their pilots revved their motors up and down the middle of the dam, making waves, as the paddlers made their way through the laps.
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