Final race and prize giving for paddlers

The Gauteng Canoe Union School League holds races around Gauteng throughout the calendar year from January, ending with a final event and annual prize-giving to award medals, trophies and certificates to all participants.

The final race and annual prize-giving for this year took place on Sunday 29 September at Homestead Dam in Benoni.

The junior paddlers were awarded positions based on the accumulated points earned from each race on a sliding scale from winner to last finisher.

Die Ruiter Primary School learner, Atle Maphanga earned second place in the U/10 division for the year, with 78 points accumulated.

Chané Steyn from Florida Primary School earned 62 points, while Ameerah and Kamilah Hank won the girls’ division in their age groups for 2019. The sisters are both learners at Curro Aurora.

Other paddlers at Florida Lake Canoe Club (FLCC) also earned points which accumulated towards the total credited to the club, earning the club third place overall for 2019.

Dabulamanzi (Emmarentia Dam) was placed first, and Soweto Canoe & Recreation Club came second, through the number of paddlers participating in their canoeing programme.

Keegan Marais from Curro Krugersdorp earned 61 points in the U/10 boys’ category, while his older brother, Matthew, in the very competitive U/14 age group, earned 44 points.

Davy Brown from La Salle College in Discovery, earned 79 points, and Sisanda Mthabela from Roodepoort Hoerskool achieved 65.

Home-schooled Jamie Wellish from Krugersdorp achieved second place in the U/18 female category and finished with 103 points.

These points are also credited to the schools represented although there are only a few schools in Gauteng who recognise canoeing as a school sport.

FLCC is very proud of their nine hardworking regular racers who put them back on the podium this year.