Florida Lake canoeists bring home the gold
Northside canoeists do us proud at the Vaal River SA K2 Championships.
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 began on 2 November below the Vaal Dam wall and day two on 3 November began below the Vaal River barrage, ending upriver from Parys, at Smiling Thru holiday resort.
Local canoeists were keen to enjoy the opportunity of racing with top internationally-recognised paddlers and South Africa’s very best, and naturally the local canoe club based at Florida Lake was also represented.
Weltevreden Park resident Serge van Hee, recognised as one of the club’s top paddlers, was the first club finisher. Partnered with Emmarentia Dam’s Douglas Jewson they won in their age group in 5 hours 9 minutes, as the first sub-veteran team and 25th finishers overall.
Hank McGregor, 2013 World Marathon champion, and partner Jasper Mocke broke away from the front bunch after the Benoude Boude rapid on the final stage and despite never having been in a boat together before, took the gold.
