FEEDBACK: 9 MILER – CENTURION – 29 JULY 2017 – AT RIETVLEI DAM
PHOTOS ARE ON FACEBOOK/GAUTENGCANOEUNION (Thanks to Nadine Norval)
18 K1’s and 28 K2’s finished the Centurion 9 Miler flat water challenge at Rietvlei Dam on Saturday 29 July 2017, on a superbly sunny warm highveld winter day, with no wind and good sunshine!!! what a bonus at Rietvlei Dam – AND no sightings of the hippo 🙁 ….with ALL the usual jovial cameradie, and great hospitality from the Centurion Canoe Club hosts.
Although race numbers were better than expected, they were still lower than usual as are most races these past months……however it was a strong field of racers with a good number of mixed doubles too!
Centurion CC gave away buffs on registration and a boerie roll – lucky draws included Broleigh Stainless Steel braai, and a pack of 18 Black Label Beers – in true South African tradition!18 K1’s and 28 K2’s finished the Centurion 9 Miler flat water challenge at Rietvlei Dam on Saturday 29 July 2017, on a superb highveld winter day, with the usual jovial cameradie, and great hospitality from the Centurion Canoe Club hosts.
The race provided an excellent opportunity for a gentle workout prior to the upcoming SA Marathon event which takes place on 12 / 13 August in Pietermaritzburg and a number of Gauteng’s top marathon paddlers enjoyed the event, with Wayne Jacobs and Dave Hamilton-Brown (DABS) taking the first podium position, first Sub Veteran category in 1 hour 19 minutes.
The lady finishers were Sylvia Nel and Katarina Lapacz (LIK/FLO) in 1:40 as first K2 ladies, with the first K1 lady finishing in 1:52, as the 16th K1 finisher – Ronel Dreyer.
The Sowetan Under 23 team of Siyabonga Tyiki and Thando Ngamlana finished one second later in 2nd place, while Michael-John Robb and Grant Ahlshlager (DABS) were the third finishers another second later – great racing, tight enjoyable competition! Alex Roberts (DABS) finished 4th, as the first K1 finisher, 8 seconds later, as 2nd Sub Veteran, while the next finishers were Centurions Sub Grand Master Marathon champions, Theo Smit and Ronald Pronk in 1:19 and 33 seconds.
The Under 16 juniors chased down the top paddlers to finish next in 1 :20 – Gustav Jnr Smook with Zanenhlanhla Mbala (LOW/SOW), and the first Veteran was Piers Cruickshank (DAB) in 1:21.
Michael Stewart (ERK ) won the Sub Master category in 1:23, and the first Mixed Double, Kerry Segal and Alistair Jackson finished in 1 :24 (KIN/DAB), while the 9th K2 finishers were the Master Category winners – Malcolm Stothard and Bradley Fisher (DABS) in 1:25.
The Sub Master K2 top finishers were Johan Strydom and George Marx (CEN) in 1:25 as 11th K2, while Shaun Maphanga and Douw Kruger (FLCC) were the K2 Veteran top finishers in 1:27.
The Great Grand Master top K2 brought in Brian Longley and Peter O’Connor in 1:27 (Dabs), while the Grand master K2 winners were Tony Purchase and Graham Holm (DABS) in 1:28.
The first K3 finishers in 1:28 were Dabs’ Brad Breetzke, with Keith and Peter Flemmer, while Liam Stewart (ERK) was the Under 18 K1 top finisher in a time of 1:31, with the K2 Under 18 top finishers 9 seconds behind him – Wongama Makhasi and Sinenhlanhla Ludidi (SOW). Albert Mostert finished as the first SGM K1 finisher in 1:31 as the 7th K1, with Willem Burger (DABS) finishing as the first Master K1, in 1:37.
Centurion youngsters Eben and Sean van der Westhuizen finished in the Under 14 and Under 12 age category in 2:05 and 2:15 respectively….
Jennie Dallas
GCU PR