Dear Bruce,
VAAL MARATHON CANOE RACE - THE POWERBOAT MENACE
I recently took park in the Vaal Marathn Canoe Race paddling a K2 with
Lionel Banham in the Grand Master category (60 years plus). The event was
magnificanely organised by the Johannesburg Canoe Club and superbly
sponsored by the Rand Water Board who spent considerable sums in advertising
and promoting the event. The result was that the field exceeded all
expectations by an approximate 25% resulting in 350 canoes participating
involving 600 paddlers. The second day, sadly, was marred by a horde of
powerboats, water-ski launches and ski-jet machines that churned up and down
the stretch of the river between the Letaba Weir and the finish post at
Riverside. Only a few of these powerboats displayed any courtesy to the
canoeists where they slowed down; most of the powerboats showed no concern
for the athletes and where the majority appeared to take delight in
attempting to tim the canoeitst out of their recing boats. It should be
remembered a few years ago after being hit from behind by a powerboat, a
young canoeist, Markl Eustace, lost his life to such a boatowner. Last
Sunday, November 21st, Lionel Benham and myself were lucky not to have
incurred a serious injury when a large powercraft surged towards us and
washed us out of our K2 Tsunami, leaving us to swim a fair distance to the
bank and lose valuable time in the race. The boat passed us with a mere 3
metres gap tot he left of us with the water-skier passing us on our right
hand side where the rope skimmed over our heads. This was a cynical,
irresponsible manoevre on the part of the pilot who, no doubt, was having a
field day at the expanse of the canoeists.
How is it that road marathons and cycle races are carefully controlled
involving the police to coerce the co-operation of the motorist to ensure
that any risk is eliminated from collision and a leaf should be taken from
the example sey by the Zodiac Inflatable Boat Club who rearrange their
schedule to allow the oarsmen to enjoy their "Big Row" event on the last
Sunday of June each year. The Vaal River Marathon is rapidly earning itself
a tarnished image through the antics of the powerboat yobs who take obvious
pleasure in ruining a canoe race. One must remember that only 10% of the
canoeing farternity have the skill or the experience to handle the
horrendous wakes that these powerful boats create. Most canoeists however,
are novices or vetrans paddling light, sleek boats as are the modern K1's
and K2's and they have to endure the unnecessay stress of coping with a
continuous barrage of screaming motors. This strident cacophony adds an
unpleasantness to the race, remembering that most the field have edured 2
hours and more of heat and obstacles, including the legendary "chute" and
the notorious boat breaker, the Vischgat rapid. Certain canoeists boycott
the Vaal Marathon owing to the unchecked menace of the powerboats. Several
years ago the SA Canoe Union rearranged the coarse, shortening the distance
to 80km by eliminating the stretch from Vereeniging to the Barrage owing to
the threat of the powerboats. If this situation is not addressed, the Vaal
Marathon will cease to exist which will be a sad day as the event is a mojor
item on the canoeing calender.
The Rand Water Board has done an excellent job is sponsoring the Vaal
Marathon, a key qualifier for the Duzi. Surely the RWB has the power to
prevent all powerboats, motor launches, ski jets, etc, from taking to the
water on that weekend where the Vaal Marathon is staged and particularly the
second day where this tawdry brigade of powerboats should be prohibited from
entering the water and incurring the wrath of the canoeists from their
protected luxuriously equipped decks. Such action would endear the Rand
Water Board to the canoeists of South Africa. Let's see some action.
Yours faithfully
MICHAEL CALLENDER
Grand Master <<...>>