FEEDBACK / REPORT – PARYS: VAAL RIVER RACE 20 / 21 OCTOBER 2018
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Well done to those who completed the two day race organised by Parys’ canoe club – Likewaan, from the Barrage (Cote de Val) to the canoe club just before Parys……apparently all paddlers were also gifted with an awesome river book!
Feedback received from first timers on the stretch of river was the excitement of their first shute down the high wall of the Goosebay weir, and the adventure of trying to find your way on a wide river littered with islands and millions of submerged rocks!! The Shute at Goosebay weir was a huge excitement especially for newer paddlers or those used to flat water as it feels extremely high – a great adrenaline rush but thanks to excellent marshalls, there was only one swimmer at the bottom and he confirms it was nerves!!
Despite a good water release from the Barrage prior to the race, the weekend levels seem to have been the usual low shallow water and its disappointing that they are releasing more water today….their argument is not to release water on weekends when children, fishermen, motorboats are on the water despite the 10 extra cumecs not likely to make a difference to those….negotiation and common sense at water departments!!
The first finisher of the two day event was Watuni’s Kobus Filmalter in a time of 3 hours 30 minutes as the top Veteran age group paddler of the day, despite a couple of early swims due to narrow channels through rocky sections where boats bumped into each other and caused minor swims, river knowledge gave him an advantage he was able to use to retain his day 1 lead, as well as good fitness from paddling on the Vaal river regularly!
Richard Fly (Cen) finished only a couple of seconds later, and Katiso Hlahatsi (VIC) finishing in 3 hours 41, followed by Richard Cele (VIC) in 3 hours 45 minutes….
Pieter Engelbrecht (ERK) was the first Sub Master finisher, in 5th position across the finish line in a time of 4 hours 1 minute.
Zonele Nzuza and Timothy Baker (VIC) were the first K2 finishers in 4 hours 1 minute with Mo Patel (Dabs) finishing as the first K1 Sub Veteran in 4h23 and the lady finisher was Mariette Zandbergh (Watuni) in 4 hours 50 over two days as the 8th K1. Novice river racer first time ever on that river, and at first race Greg Blackwell (Dabs) finished as the first Sub Grand master in 5 hours 5 minutes!
Jan Leonard (Watuni) was the only paddler who completed Day 1 only, and finished as the 9th K1, and first Great Grand master……in 1 hour 52 – the winning time (Kobus Filmalter) was 1 hour 17 on Day 1.
Day 2 entrants and finishers only, were led by Carel and son Peter Van Biljon (Dabs) finishing the 18km in 2 hours 31 minutes, with Christiaan van Zyl from Centurion finishing 2nd in 2:54 . Lydia Opperman and Shaun Macdonald (Cen) were the first K2 and also Mixed double in 2 hours 54 minutes, and Craig Johnston / Michael Merry (VIC/DABS) finished as first Sub Grand masters in 3 : 02…..