Metro supports Dusi training and development of juniors
With the widely regarded toughest endurance river canoe marathon - the Dusi - taking place in just two weeks, a training race held at Homestead Dam on Saturday, February 1, saw healthy support from Gauteng canoeists and the Ekurhuleni Metropolitan Municipality.
The municipality, which has been proactive in its support of sport in the region, backed the local canoe club (Ekurhuleni Canoe Club) with prizes and food for the hard-working paddlers.
The paddlers finished a 22km paddle with two portages where they had to take boats out of the water and run a couple of kilometres as part of the endurance river race training.
Sowetan’s Loveday Zondi, with Thando Ngamlana, won the race in 1:43, with second place taken by Victoria Lake Canoe Club’s Thembi and Tom Ngcobo. Germiston Lake-based development coaches Richard and Nhlanhla Cele finished third.
The top finishers from the local canoe club were Michael Stewart, who finished fourth in the First Veteran age group, while Clinton Fox and Clint Munro finished in tenth in the second Sub-veteran age category. Franz Lottering and Tommy Both came in 15th.
Justin Bark and father Malcom (25th), along with Alex Johnson and Raymond Pratt (27th) are all finishers from Boksburg.
More than 100 juniors (u-8 to 18) also raced after the main race, concentrating on sprint distances in preparation for the SA School Inter-Provincial Race which is set to take place in May.
