The Liebensbergvlei river race on Saturday 15 August, which hosted the Canoe Concepts Gauteng Canoe Union Mixed Doubles Championships, organised by the Dabulamanzi Canoe Club did not disappoint…..its reputation as an awesome fast flowing river with fabulous fun rolling wave trains around fast corners, as well as some enormous drops and stopper waves to prepare paddlers for their first Fish was right up on par!
The unexpected surprise was that the wave trains and white horses crashed over the nose of the boat as the Free State wind hurtled its enthusiastic welcome to the Gauteng paddlers as it trumpeted up the valley to provide head winds and strong resistance training to the paddlers – also to be found at Fish!
Otters played and caught Fish under the Tweeling Road Bridge, and a plastic ball drifted choppily UPRIVER proving that the wind was stronger than the downstream current although the sun was warm and friendly!
Oom Piets se plaas provided savoury delicious boerie rolls and drinks to the many exhausted paddlers who found the 32+ km race tiring as a result of wind, and probably lack of flat water training, as Gautengers kickstart their preFish training season!
We would like to thank all paddlers, for their kind consideration, and helpfulness over the past months at river races for always being willing to assist and support Gautengs first River Para-Canoeist – Constant Olivier…..it has been very heartwarming, not only helping him achieve his goal of becoming a river paddler, but witnessing how paddlers will always be there to lend a helping hand to a fellow paddler, whatever the circumstances and never more noticeable than in this situation……
While Constant Olivier (FLCC) earns his keep in a boat and maintains a steady fast paddling stroke and puts in the necessary training, has his fitness program right on track and is sticking to his training schedule routinely, he is only too well aware that without assistance on the portages, which are often slipper, awkward narrow sloping muddy or swampy paths through slippery rocks – he can never achieve his goal……so its a shout out – to all the paddlers who never hesitate to stop and help – from the Klip River races and portages over Henley Weir, to the Tugela river race, and Liebensbergvlei – YOU guys were there, and have been part of the team that has helped him, less fortunate than yourselves, to achieve HIS dreams of adventure, excitement and challenge – Kudo’s Paddlers……well done.
The Para-canoeists K3 from Florida Lake Canoe Club all of whom displayed some disability either physical or mental, finished the Liebensbergvlei Mixed Double champs in 2:59 in good spirits with thanks to all who assisted them to reach this goal!
READ MORE ABOUT CONSTANT OLIVIER – GAUTENGS FIRST RIVER PARA-CANOEIST HERE
The winners of the race were Cornelis Human and Michael-Jon Robb (Dabs) who finished in 2 hours 16 minutes, followed by the winning Mixed Doubles team Shaun Maphanga and Monique Steven (FLCC) in a time of 2:18, also as first Sub Veterans, successfully defending their Mixed Doubles 2014 title! The legends of Florida lake in partnership and quite unbeatable this year anyway!
The third place finishers were also the first K3 from Victoria Lake Canoe Club with Colin Ledwaba, Josh Loots and Richard Cele finishing in 2:19, while Meyer Steyn and Gerhard Steyn finished in 4th place in 2:21 finishing as the 1st Sub Grand Masters, and 3rd K2.
The JCC sibling Under 23 pair were placed as 2nd Mixed Doubles Champions in a time of 2:24 – Morgan and Ryan Ziervogel, and the Dabs Mixed Double team took third place in a time of 2:26 – Etienne Rawlinson and Lynn Morris.
Bryan Slater and Graham Neate were first Masters in 2:27, while first Sub Masters also from Dabs in 2:27 were Nicolaas Roodt and Frank Dabrowski.
Watuni’s K3 were the first finishing Veteran team in 2:30, being Andre Zandberg, Jan Leonard and Courtney Jee, while the club’s ladies team were the female achievers of the day finishing in 2:57 with Mariette Zandberg and Jessica Booyzen.
Despite some of the gentlemen dressing up with wigs and female attire, they were not awarded a mixed doubles prize, but they earned a round of drinks for good spirit after the event!
The Grand master team of Franz Fischer (JCC) and Rod Carpenter (ERK) finished in 3:15, and a very young late starters junior Under 18 team from the local Canoe club in Bloemfontein brought in the last boat in 3:40.
It was an awesome day with awesome rapids, and awesome fun as well as superb Fish Training – thanks to Chad – Canoe Concepts and Dabs for providing the opportunity and we all look forward to the two day training event on the first weekend of September!!
Jennie Dallas
for GCU PR
082 857 857 1