Pile ups for FLCC
Baard was showing the paddlers the best lines to manouvre around the rapids.
It was a weekend of pile-ups at the N4 Trac Lowveld Crocodile K1 River Race as canoeists from Florida Lake Canoe Club participated.
It is the only Triple A rated river that falls under the Gauteng calendar of races.
Bertie Baard, a safety officer and river coach at the club led a few of the FLCC paddlers through the highly technical fast flowing tricky rivers of the race.
Baard was showing the paddlers the best lines to manouvre around the rapids.
However, he misjudged the fast current on the Carisbrook rapid which pushed his boat into a corner between rocks near the on duty marshall who was watching.
“With the fast flowing water pushing the boats, hesitancy is never an option. When Patrick Thomas came around a large boulder, he found Baard’s boat blocking his path and there was nowhere to go. His boat wedged between the rock and the front boat, as Craig Smith’s boat swept through the rapid and around the blind corner to pile up on top of theirs,” said Gauteng Canoe Union’s Jennie Dallas.
With help from the marshall, Baard managed to salvage his situation and get out on the rocks. He sorted his boat out and re-entered the water.
However, Thomas’s boat which was parked below a strong current was swamped with water and he swam through the bottom section of the rapid with the damaged boat.
Craig Smith managed to paddle past them once they had cleared the road, and waited at the bottom for them chuckling away merrily.
“FLCC paddlers who participated in the 30-kilometre race finished in a time of 8:44 over the two days, while Michael Mann, who was also in the group, chose a different easier chicken run line on the Carisbrooke rapid, also finished with them,” said Dallas.
Want to receive news alerts via WhatsApp? Send us an SMS/ WhatsApp message with your name and cellphone number to 079 414 6709.
Familiarise yourself with our WhatsApp service disclaimer.
Do you perhaps have more information pertaining to this story? Email us at roodepoortrecord@caxton.co.za (remember to include your contact details) or phone us on 011 955 1130.
For free daily local news on the West Rand, also visit our sister newspaper websites Randfontein Herald, Krugersdorp News and Get It Joburg West Magazine
Remember to visit our Facebook, Twitter and Instagram pages to let your voice be heard!
