Canoeist Maphanga on top again
FLCC's top canoeist one of many club achievers at 2014 SA Marathon Champs.
Florida Lake Canoe Club’s (FLCC) top canoeist, Shaun Maphanga again raised eyebrows after another stunning performance at the SA Canoe Marathon Championships in Benoni.
A well-represented FLCC saw Maphanga – coach and groundsman at the Florida Lake club – being one of the top Gauteng achievers.
He took gold by winning the Sub Veteran age group category in a time of one hour and 51 minutes and partnered with Serge van >Hee was also the top West Rand finisher the following day in the double canoes.
Other achievements for FLCC include podium positions for the juniors in the U/8 and U/10 category as Ameerah and Kamilah Hank won gold and silver respectively. Both girls are said to have started the sport just months ago and both attend Aurora Curro School in Randburg.
Charter House pupil, the young Matthew van der Merwe finished second in the U/10 category for boys with Jaydon Hunt – from Rand Park Ridge Primary – being the bronze medal winner in the U/12 category. Both boys have won numerous podium positions at inter-provincial competitions as well as school leagues during the past two years.
The event saw a strong field of nearly 250 competitors, which included former and current World Marathon and Surf-ski champions Hank McGregor as well as Grant and Brandon van der Walt, multiple Dusi winners Andy Birkett and Abbey Adie, not to mention Olympic bronze medallist Bridgitte Hartley and a crew of Australians and the cream of South African paddlers. The Gauteng locals therefore were hard put to achieve top positions and podiums in various age categories.
The Singles (K1) race took place on 7 June and included paddlers from the Gauteng school league from ages seven upwards while the doubles partnerships (K2) took place on 8 June.
