August 29, 2007
By Lesego Madumo
A NEW season is imminent, and with it comes a regatta geared to attract scores of canoeists and spectators, who are encouraged to pack away their winter woollies, prepare their boats and head for the lake.
The annual South of Johannesburg Dragon Boat Spring Festival, now in its fourth year, is an exciting boat challenge running over two days at Wemmer Pan in Pioneers Park, in Rosettenville. It is held on Saturday, 8 and Sunday, 9 September.
South of Johannesburg (Sojo) works to improve facilities and employment in Joburg's southern suburbs.
On Saturday, the race is reserved for Gauteng canoe and dragon boat clubs, in which members of the community, including primary and high schools, are expected to participate. Sunday is set aside for corporate challenges. Among other companies, Standard Bank and Absa Bank will race against each other.
And in the Casino Challenge, Gold Reef City Casino will take on other Joburg casinos. More than 15 corporate teams are expected to take part.
With the James Hall Transport Museum, the Brazilian Zecarioca Restaurant, four water sports facilities and the Phumelela racecourse, among other facilities, Wemmer Pan is an ideal tourist attraction, notes Nicky Vakaloudis, the chief executive officer of Sojo.
She explains that using the race, Sojo is trying to raise awareness of the lake and eradicate negative perceptions of it. "We want to change the image of the south and get people to change their perceptions about the pan."
Sojo expects the challenge to draw people to Joburg's south. Vakaloudis also hopes it will encourage people to take up dragon boating as a sport.
Besides the dragon boat racing, there will be food stalls representing South Africa's cultural diversity and martial arts demonstrations, as well as a craft market selling items like toys, jewellery and clothing. It is organised by the Johannesburg Canoe Club and Sojo Business and Tourism.
"The Dragon Boat Spring Festival celebrates the arrival of spring while offering a host of novel and fun activities for the whole family," Vakaloudis explains. It is also an ideal way for companies and organisations "to promote themselves and build team spirit".
Restaurants have been invited to set up food kiosks to promote Food Of The South. There will also be plenty of space for traders who want to sell merchandise such as toys, jewellery and clothing.
Entrance to the lake is free; however, registration for a dragon boat team of 21 is R4 000 or R200 a person. This fee includes a T-shirt, one training session for each person and participation medals.
A dragon boat has a crew of 21, made up of 18 paddlers, a steersman, a drummer who keeps time and provides moral support, and a flag-catcher who drives the team to victory. The sport is practised in many cities around the world, and has been included in the 2008 Beijing Olympics.
Originally a Chinese ceremonial sport, it began in China's Hunan province more than 2 000 years ago to commemorate Qu Yuan, a poet-statesman who allegedly committed suicide by throwing himself into the MiLou River. A dragon boat gala is held each year on the fifth day of the fifth moon, according to the Chinese calendar. This is the day Qu Yuan died.
For further information, contact Nicky Vakaloudis at Sojo on 011 493 7880 or 082 481 8746; or email info@sojo.co.za.
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