The annual 30km Trac Lowveld Crocodile Canoe Marathon was hosted by the Lowveld Canoe Club.
It was headed up by Piers Cruickshanks on the Croc river between Kwena Dam and Old Joe’s Kaia on October 22.
Famous as one of the most technical river races in the country, the race was won by the unassuming but talented Matthew Millward from Pretoria who grew up paddling in the canoeing-crazed KZN Midlands.
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However the Sowetan, Siseko Ntondini was only two minutes behind him, while two Under 18 paddlers, Asibabale Mpambani finished in 2 hours 22 minutes, and Sikhanyisele Dekeda crossed the finish line in 2 hours 27 minutes.
Chazani Gumede finished in 2 hours 22 minutes, and Coach Nkosi Mzolo arrived at the finish in 2 hours 28 minutes.
Ryno Armdorff finished in 2 hours 38 minutes and Wongama Makazi in 2 hours 43 minutes, while the youngest paddler on the river, Under 16 Owethu Duna finished last, in 3 hours 51 minutes.
Among the crazy paddlers who took on this infamous river race where many paddlers have had to walk out of the valley carrying their broken boats over the many years of the event being hosted were members of the Soweto based Canoe club.
The Trac Lowveld Croc epitomises typical Lowveld hospitality and atmosphere.
Many land owners and farmers allow access to the river through their properties and the finish is even hosted on Terblanche Landgoed farm where Deon and Lara Terblanche provide much needed sustenance to the tired paddlers.
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Local industries like Sabie Breweries, and Hay’s Maroela juice support the event. Instead of winning medals, each finisher received a small tree, a fitting reward and reminder of their time immersed in nature on one of the few clean stretches of river in our country.
