TWO RIVERS, One Adventure

The Lions River Descent canoe race was billed as ‘two rivers, one adventure’ and what an adventure it was.

The recent floods meant that the winning paddler, world champion Hank McGregor, won the race, held last weekend, in record time. It also meant that most paddlers had many adventures along the route!

The race started at Piggly Wiggly with paddlers running, with their canoes, to the put in at the Lions River road and rail bridge.

From there it was a flat-out dice across the flooded Lions

River wetlands until paddlers reached the uMngeni River – which was also in spate.

The cascades rapids into Midmar Dam really tested the paddlers with large waves and challenging twists and turns under the Petrus Stroom Bridge. Fortunately, accredited safety paddlers were on hand to rescue paddlers that fell out in the rapids and to help retrieve their equipment.

Christie MacKenzie, a Duzi Canoe Marathon champion, was the first lady home and 128 canoes finished the challenging course.

In a further innovation the Eddie Dykes Memorial trophy was awarded to the oldest and youngest finisher. Roly Heuff (aged 79) and Siyabonga Ndlovu (15) won the trophy which was awarded by the Dykes family.

The Lions River Descent canoe race is a family fun day and this year, young people had a separate ‘guppy’ race.

Midlands Kayaking School, led by Kyle and Rachel Friedenstein, provided medals to all finishers. For many of the youngsters this was their first canoe race and to take home a medal was very special.

The canoe race finished at the Henley Midmar Yacht Club and all paddlers were grateful for the magnificent facilities provided there.

The Midlands community really came to party to ensure that the hospitality was top class. A free meal, beer and a brand new kayak craft K1, from the lucky draw, meant it was fun for the whole family.

The Midmar Canoe Club, who organised the event, are grateful to the landowners through which the canoe race passed and the many Midlands businesses who generously sponsored aspects of the race.

The Lions River Descent certainly ensured that 2023 got off to a great canoeing start!

Despite the challenging conditions many competitors clearly had a great time at the ions iver Descent. This year s ions iver Descent proved to be an adventure for all involved. Photos irsten liver

Competitors in the guppy race.

The canoeists carry their craft to the put in.

The grasslands around the ions iver were flooded following the recent heavy rains.

The ddie Dykes memorial trophy was awarded by ohn Dykes representing the Dykes family to oly euff, the oldest nisher and iyabonga dlovu, the youngest.

There were thrills and spills aplenty in the ions iver Descent canoe race.

dad helps his son get ready for the guppy race.

The men s race gets underway at Piggly iggly.

canoeist paddles underneath the ions iver rail bridge.