JOHANNESBURG Canoe Club hosted a river race on a very tricky, technically challenging section of the Klip River from next to the Lido Hotel. The race started at Buksies Holiday Resort in Walkerville, and finished 34km on in Daleside at Ixoxo Manzi, on Sunday, July 3.
With the bitter cold sweeping through the province, as well as the treacherous rapids on that section of the river, it was a very small field that started, and after some cold or exhausted paddlers withdrew, as well as a couple with boat damage, only 20 boats finished the difficult race – with the paddlers from the South taking the advantage with their familiarity on the section of river.
Alex Masina, from Forest Town in the South of Johannesburg, won the race flat out in a time of 2:42, followed by George Louw from Emmarentia Dam’s canoe club. Young u.23 Colin Ledwaba from Victoria Lake Canoe Club in Germiston was third while Gavin Steyl from Alberton finished fourth (first in the master age category). Another Southern youngster, Roland Smith, was the fifth finisher in 2:51.
