Organisers of the inaugural Green Kalahari Canoe Marathon announced this week that the race will offer a total of R270 000 in prize money.
The first K2 across the line will earn R26 000 in cash, while prize money will also be awarded to the top ten finishers. Further prize money will be presented to the top three positions in each race category, with special cash prizes also going to the first husband and wife and parent and child combination to cross the finish line. The top three teams of development paddlers will also share in the cash. All competitors also stand the chance of winning daily cash spot prizes and lucky draws.
According to organiser Gawie Nieuwoudt, this cash injection will definitely add to appeal of the race. “We are delighted to have secured such a sizeable prize purse for the first edition of this exciting race and are confident that the prize money across all categories will attract paddlers of high calibre to compete,” mentioned Nieuwoudt.
The 2012 Green Kalahari Canoe Marathon will take place outside Upington in the Northern Cape from 22 – 24 March. The three-day stage race will commence from Upington and traverse 99 kilometres downstream towards Augrabies.
Top paddlers such as seven-time Dusi champion Martin Dreyer and Wayne August have already confirmed their participation. Dreyer will accompany a team of ten paddlers from his Change a Life Academy.
The Green Kalahari Canoe Marathon is proudly supported by the Northern Cape provincial government, the Department of Economic Development and Tourism as well as the Northern Cape Tourism Authority as part of the repositioning of South Africa’s largest province as the adventure capital of the country.
Paddlers can now enter online at www.gkcm.co.za. The deadline for entries has been extended to Wednesday, 14 March 2012. For more information, visit the Green Kalahari Canoe Marathon on facebook at www.facebook.com/gkcanoemarathon.
