{"id":121719,"date":"2016-05-21T07:30:00","date_gmt":"2016-05-21T05:30:00","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/germistoncitynews.co.za\/121719\/boats-damaged-in-river-race\/"},"modified":"2016-05-21T07:51:17","modified_gmt":"2016-05-21T05:51:17","slug":"boats-damaged-in-river-race","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/develop.citizen.co.za\/germiston-city-news\/sports-news\/2016\/05\/21\/boats-damaged-in-river-race\/","title":{"rendered":"Boats damaged in river race"},"content":{"rendered":"

Victoria Lake Canoe Club (VLC), based at Germiston Lake, has been instrumental in arranging a number of novice races to encourage new paddlers to gain experience, points and fitness on the rivers.<\/p>\n

Last Saturday, the club hosted a race on the Klip River, from Daleside Ixoxo Manzi Riverside Resort, through Henley-on-Klip, to finish at Danie Maclean Park, in Meyerton, a distance of about 20km, as paddlers begin the new race season.<\/p>

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New paddlers learning the ropes require a minimum number of races to be A-graded and thus enabled to participate in major river races throughout SA.<\/p>\n

They also need to build up stamina to cover distances of up to about 100kms for the major events.<\/p>

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\"Cold,<\/a>
Cold, fast-flowing river conditions were difficult for novice paddlers to manage at the VLC river race at Mine Rapid, last Saturday.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

It was a cold, rainy, wet day last Saturday, as paddlers confidently approached the Mine Rapid, over the hill from the Bass Lake.<\/p>\n

The rapid, however, proved to be the downfall of many of the novices, with numerous boats being washed sideways into rocks and boulders.<\/p>\n

This resulted in a number of boats being damaged and unable to continue the race.<\/p>\n

Colin Ledwaba, an experienced paddler from VLC, partnered with novice paddler Jaco Esterhuyse.<\/p>\n

The pair\u2019s boat was grounded on a rock in the way of other boats trying to come through the rapid.<\/p>\n

They nevertheless persevered and went on to take a very respectable fourth position in the race, in a time of one hour and 35 minutes.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Other articles you may be interested in:<\/p>\n

Paddlers off to SA champs<\/a><\/p>\n

Novices learn the ropes<\/a><\/p>\n

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