FLCC deliver against the best at K2 champs
"There was no holding back from Florida Lake Canoe Club participants".
Local canoeists did not hold back despite racing against some of South Africa’s very best and even top internationally recognised canoeists during the SA K2 Championships held on the Vaal River.
With attractive prize money up for grabs 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 2 November below the Vaal Dam wall, with day 2 on Sunday 3 November beginning below the Vaal River barrage to end upriver from Parys, at Smiling Thru Holiday Resort.
Among the locals representing the Florida Lake Canoe Club (FLCC) at this event was one of the club’s top paddlers, Serge van Hee who was the first to finish from the club with partner Douglas Jewson from the Emmarentia Dam Canoe Club (EDCC). The pair won their age group in a time of five hours and nine minutes. This means that they also finished as the first Sub Veteran team.
Discovery residents and Victory House pupils, Archie Moncho (FLCC) and Dugan Afonso from (EDCC) – finished as the third Under 18 partnership and 40th K2 team across the finish line in a time of five hours and 21 minutes over the two days.
History-making Karima Hare partnered with Under 23 Katiso Hlahatsi from Germison took the bronze podium position in the Mixed Doubles category, finishing their race in five hours and 56 minutes as the 64th K2 finishers.
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, broke away from the front bunch after the Benoude Boude rapid on the final stage, despite never having been in a boat together before.
With other internationally recognised names such as Len Jenkins, Greg Louw, Cam Schoeman as well as local Dusi podium winners Andy Birkett and Sibonelo Zondi at the race, as well as top women Abby Adie and Olympic bronze medallist Bridget Hartley with Hilary Pitchford, it was a fast-paced and star-studded race.
Gustav Smook and Wikus Loots’ performance at the race was certainly not shoddy as they cruised to a victorious second place podium position in the Veteran Age category, finishing the 80km over two days in four hours 51 minutes.
The rest of the Lowveld canoeing team much prefers the exciting rapids on their local Elands and Croc Rivers to the long, hard, slow, flat water of the Vaal.
