Local paddlers finish third in canoe race
With attractive prize money and excellent sponsorships from CMH Vaal East Rand, the Vaal River SA K2 Championships doubles canoe race was won by the very best South African canoeists, with international recognition and acclaim.
The 80km race started on Saturday, November 2, below the Vaal Dam Wall, with day two on Sunday, November 3, beginning below the Vaal River Barrage to end upriver from Parys, at Smiling Thru Holiday Resort.
Hank McGregor, the World Marathon Champion of 2013 took the gold having achieved every other canoeing title in South Africa for marathons, sprints, surfski, with partner Jasper Mocke.
They broke away from the front bunch, after the Benoude Boude rapid on the final stage, despite never having been in a boat together before.
Other paddlers of international and national acclaim including Len Jenkins and Greg Louw, who had set the pace during much of the race, but had fallen behind Dusi legends Andy Birkett and Siboni Zondi early on the second day of the race, managed to sneak ahead of them in the last rapid of the race, 400m from the finish to beat them to the finish line and claim the silver medals.
In the ladies race, SA top female river racer, Abby Adie partnered with East Rand Kayak’s top female paddler Donna Tutton to edge out pre-race favourites Hilary Bruss and Olympic medalist Bridgitte Hartley, who had taken a swim at the first rapid shortly after the start of the first stage, to clinch the national K2 crown.
Other members of the East Rand Kayak canoeing club based at Homestead Dam in Benoni also vied for the championship titles for their age groups with top East Rand based paddler Michael Stewart finishing 10th overall with partner from the Cape, Brandon Collyer to win the veteran age category in a time of 4:46:00 hours.
Donna Tutton’s husband James, also a member of the East Rand Kayak club, partnered with Gavin Steyl, coming second in the sub Master category in a time of 5:14:00 hours.
Clinton Fox with Boksburg-based Clint Munro were the next club finishers in 32nd position in five hours, 14 minutes, achieving the third place podium position for the sub Veteran age category.
Vince Buttrick and John Rowan were once again the great grand master winners (over 65 years of age) while local businessman auditor Rodney Carpenter partnering with Keith Beeston to finish second in the sub grand master category in a time of 6:31:00.
