ERK FLAT 21 – SATURDAY 27 JUNE 2015
Over 50 paddlers finished the ERK Flat 21km at Homestead Dam on Saturday 27 June despite extremely unpleasant conditions – windy with choppy water causing a few swims and many more near ones with howling gusts of wind across the dam burying the chill deep into the bones of the toughened paddlers who took on the challenge.
Primary aimed at providing training opportunity for Berg Marathon trainees, although precious few of them participated in the event, there were paddlers mostly just wanting to pick up their fitness levels and build endurance – so essential to active participation in major events scheduled for later in the year.
The race was won by Siseko Ntondini (SOW) in 1:36 as first Under 23 who is apparently training for the Berg event, followed only one second later by Wayne Jacobs (Dabs) as first Sub Veteran, while the 1st Sub Master took 3rd place – Michael Stewart (ERK) in 1:38, which left 4th spot open for the first senior age category who was Cornelis Human – another Berg trainee (Dabs) in 1;39. Nidolas Oldert (Dabs) finished as first Sub Grant master in 1:41 – 6th overall, and the first K3 finished in 1:43 in 8th bringing in Dabs paddlers Charles Murray, Kelvin Byres and Schalk Mouton.
The winning K2 was next with Willem Landman and Elton Du Preez from Centurion one second later, and the winning Great Grand Master (Dabs finished in 1:46 s the 8th K1, and 10th overall – Brian Longley (Dabs). Nicholas Warren was next finisher in 1:50 as first Veteran, with George Marx as the first Grand Master five minutes after that (Cen), and the first Masters combination was Glen Sinclair and Dave Ivy (JCC) some 20 seconds later as 2nd K2, and 14th overall.
While its always a pleasure to highlight any female canoeing achievements at Gauteng races, most of the ladies were wise enough to stay away from this miserably cold dam in the unpleasant winds, but the first Mixed Double was Monique Steven with Jason Brown (FLCC/DABS) in 19th overall and a time of 1.54 with a mixed double K3 consisting of JCC’s Warren Ziervogel, Jamie Hall and Martin Sly finishing in 1:57, in 21st position overall.
Morgan Ziervogel (JCC) was the only lady in the female race finishing in 1:59 as 3rd Under we with her younger brother Ryan being the Under 18 winning achievement – 24th K1, and 36th overall.
Despite the dreadful conditions, it was pleasing to see a number of newer paddlers or returning paddlers who havent been active for a while and all were rewarded with sponsored meals and giveaway heli’s which were most welcome thanks to the support from the Department of Sports & Recreation at Ekurhuleni, with a pleasant fire in the clubhouse and sherry to warm the cockles…..!
Well done to all paddlers who participated and finished, especially those tossed out of their boats by whipped up waves, and to ERK for providing the opportunity!
Jennie Dallas
GCU PR
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