Florida well prepared for upcoming Berg Race
Four paddlers from club show form by winning their respective categories in preparation race.
Florida Lake Canoe Club’s (FLCC) preparation for this year’s Berg River Ultra Marathon in mid-July seems to be well on track.
A number of paddlers from the club came out on top during a vital training session – the 40km Chilli Bite Race on the Klip River.
The Berg River Ultra Marathon commencing on 16 July is considered to be the country’s longest race, covering 220km over four days from Paarl to the West Coast. In order to be on top of their game at this event, paddlers need all the training they can get.
Category winners for FLCC at the Chilli Bite Race include regular achiever and the club’s top paddler, Shaun Maphanga who was declared overall winner with a time of three hours and one minute.
Bertie Baard, safety officer of FLCC together with Jennie Dallas, the Community Youth Development Coach and young Sammy Lenyora not only crossed the finish line as the first mixed double (male/ female combination) but also as the first K3 team.
It was Lenyora’s longest distance he ever had paddled.
“Sammy never paddled on the upper section of the river before and it was pleasing that he was introduced to these difficult technical rapids in a less risky situation than in a single canoe,” Dallas said.
“K3 boats are ideal to introduce newer learners onto rivers as they are exceptionally stable with good volume in big water. With two additional paddlers in the boat, learners can pay even more attention to the rapids and how to paddle through them with less risk of swimming or boat damage,” she continued.
