Parktown High School girls enjoyed their first canoe race as the Florida Lake Canoe Club hosted its first river race of the new canoeing season from Meyerton Sports grounds to Three Rivers.
Sarah-Jean Goldschagg is a well-respected canoe racer at Emmarentia Dam and enjoyed some river racing last year.
With her sister Danielle now proficient on rivers, the two girls enjoyed their first river race of the new season together, finishing in 2:16:00 minutes.
At a distance of about 18km, the race is designed to exclude the more technically difficult rapids ensuring that new river paddlers are able to manage with their newly-acquired river paddling skills.
A number of new learner paddlers were able to test themselves in this race.
The river race season begins after the rains have subsided and the rivers are more manageable with gentler currents. The season then builds up until the next rainy season when it peaks at high flood water and exciting river races occur.
Fallen trees can be a serious problem for river canoeists as they can get snagged in the branches and trapped.
Tree clearing crews work regularly on the rivers to keep them flowing freely and not become blocked by numerous non-indigenous fallen trees; and safety marshalls are positioned to direct paddlers away from the tree branches.
