The race took place from Danie Maclean Park in Meyerton, to finish at the Watuni Canoe Club, on the North West University grounds in Vanderbijlpark, a distance of some 28km.<\/p>\n
The course featured a few major rapids, a wide number of obstacles, tight, hard-working, winding corners in fast flowing current and a number of bubblies (little wave trains and currents).<\/p>
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Coupled with this was a 12km stretch of tough, hard-working, sluggish Vaal River.<\/p>\n
Helen Jansen van Vuuren, a junior member learning to canoe at Victoria Lake Canoe Club (VLC), who has been achieving well in the Gauteng Canoe Union School League monthly races, also took part in the race.<\/p>\n
At the recent Gauteng Canoe Union School League prize-giving, which took place at Homestead Dam, in Benoni, Jansen van Vuuren won the u-14 girls\u2019 category with 162 points earned from junior league races at various dams across Gauteng.<\/p>\n
She also won the Top Paddler of the Year 2018 – K1 Girls, as well as the Most Improved Female for the Year.<\/p>\n
With the confidence achieved from racing on dams which can get windy and choppy, Jansen van Vuuren was attracted to the excitement and adventure of river racing.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
ALSO READ:<\/span><\/p>\n Top 100 Fish finish for local paddler<\/a><\/p>\n Race tests paddlers\u2019 stamina and endurance<\/a><\/p>\n <\/p>\n This was her first river race and she competed with VLC coach Richard Cele.<\/p>\n The pair was the first double canoe (K2) to finish the race in second place overall, in a time of two hours and 13 minutes.<\/p>\n They were named the winners in the mixed double category (male\/female combination).<\/p>\n Jansen van Vuuren attends Afrikaanse Ho\u00ebrskool Germiston and the points she earned in the school league were credited to the school she represents.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Hav<\/strong>e a story?<\/strong><\/p>\n Contact the newsroom by emailing: Melissa Hart (Editor)\u00a0<\/span>germistoncitynews@caxton.co.za <\/a><\/strong>or Leigh Hodgson (News Editor)\u00a0<\/span>leighh@caxton.co.za<\/a>\u00a0<\/strong>or Kgotsofalang Mashilo (journalist)\u00a0kgotsofalangm@caxton.co.za<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n Remember to visit the Germiston City News on the following social media platforms:<\/p>\n Facebook<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n Twitter<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n Instagram<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n YouTube<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n Or add the GCN on\u00a0<\/b><\/span>WhatsApp 079 406 1181<\/strong>\u00a0<\/span>or\u00a0BBM (BBM Pin: 7F102137)<\/strong>\u00a0<\/b><\/span>today, to get all the latest news.<\/p>\n Catch-up on more local news with our sister newspapers\u00a0<\/span>Bedfordview Edenvale News<\/a><\/strong>,\u00a0<\/span>Alberton Record<\/a><\/strong>\u00a0and\u00a0<\/span>Kempton Express<\/a><\/strong>.<\/p>\n